KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Friday remanded suspect Konain Shah in police custody in a case pertaining to allegedly threatening a senior faculty member of the University of Karachi over the phone with “dire consequences” if he did not withdraw from an assault case against him.

The Sachal police had registered a second FIR against suspect Konain on the complaint of Prof Dr Muhammad Arif Khan Saqi for offences under Section 25/D of the Telegraph Act read with Section 506 (intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

On Sept 8, the professor was physically assaulted, allegedly by Konain and his guards, over an incident involving damage to a car that Prof Saqi was travelling in by the SUV of the suspect. A video of the incident had gone viral on social media, where Prof Saqi explained how he, along with his nephew who was driving the car, was beaten by the suspects and detained inside a restaurant.

The police subsequently registered an FIR and arrested the suspects involved in the incident, including Konain. The suspect is said to be an influential person. After his arrest, an apology was made by his father to Prof Saqi but he refused to accept it and said he needed justice.

On Thursday, the investigating officer produced him before Judicial Magistrate (Malir) Shafique Ahmed and sought his 14-day police custody.

In the remand papers, the IO stated that the suspect Konain allegedly threatened the professor over the phone with “dire consequences” if he did not withdraw from an assault case. He sought his police custody for 14 days and to check his criminal record and to interrogate him.

Meanwhile, defence counsel moved an application, seeking discharge of the suspect in the case.

The defence counsel contended that he was falsely implicated in the case due to “ulterior motives”.

State prosecutor Muhammad Idrees Seelro opposed the discharge plea. After hearing both sides, the court remanded the suspect for three days in police custody and also dismissed the plea for being premature as the investigation was at its “initial phase and non-bailable offences are alleged.”

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2026