KARACHI, Aug 6: The police on Saturday intensified the hunt to locate the prime suspect in the murders of two girls while the suspect’s father accelerated his efforts for an out-of-court settlement.

According to initial investigation and statements of family members, the police believed the prime suspect was Shahid, who escaped arrest when the police reached his house in Bath Island, Clifton.

When the police reached the house of Jawed Khan Shanwari and questioned him, he admitted that his son Shahid Shanwari was involved in the double murder.

“Jawed engaged us in conversation while a Mercedes car drove out of the house,” DSP Clifton Investigation Wing Zahid Shah told Dawn.

Jawed had earlier told the police that Shahid was in Peshawar for one week. Later, the police came to know that Shahid had escaped.

Sohail, the brother of Shahid, informed the police that his father protected Shahid and had provided him a safe passage to escape arrest.

Jawed knew that his son was involved in the killing but he was unaware of the time and place of the incident. “As soon as Shahid is held, we will also arrest his father on the charge of abetment,” said DSP Zahid.

However, the father of the alleged killer has started making contacts with the family of the slain girls, family sources said.

Jawed Shanwari has offered an amount as compensation to the family of the slain girls in return for pardoning his son. Jawed is in favour of holding a ‘jirga’ for an out-of-court settlement, family sources added.

“That is their own decision, but the police will follow the law. We will arrest the prime suspect and produce him before the court,” the police officer said.

Police thought the girls might have been shot dead elsewhere and their bodies then dumped in the bushes.

Police had earlier thought a family dispute was behind the double murder but investigations took a new turn on Friday, and the police found that a flirt was behind the deaths of the two girls.