BSUKKUR: One of the prime suspects nominated in the murder case of senior journalist Jan Mohammad Mahar was wounded during an operation against criminals in the Shah Belo area, situated on the outskirts of Sukkur, late Monday night, according to SSP Irfan Ali Samoo.

The police officer said that the operation was carried out on a tip-off about presence of some most wanted criminals in the area. He said that a strong contingent of heavily armed police personnel riding armoured personnel carriers (APCs) rolled into the specified area to challenge the outlaws.

A fierce gun battle ensued during which many gangsters were wounded, he said.

SSP Samoo said that the outlaws, taking advantage of darkness, took away all but one of their wounded associates. The police took the lone gangster in custody who, later, turned out to be Gulzar Mahar alias Gulan, one of the main suspects nominated in the FIR of journalist Jan Mohammad Mahar’s murder, he added.

According to sources in Sukkur police, Gulzar is a son of Sheral Mahar, alias Shero, the prime suspect in the case.

Mr Mahar, a senior journalist associated with a private Sindhi newspaper and its TV channel, was shot dead by armed men riding a motorcycle near St. Saviour School on Queens Road in Sukkur on the night intervening Aug 13 and 14.

His murder sparked a series of protests by the journalist community, political parties and civil society organisations across Sindh.

An investigation into the case has remained inconclusive so far and a motive behind the murder could not be established as well.

Published in Dawn, November 22th, 2023