KARACHI: Police on Saturday registered a case against seven nominated suspects under terrorism and murder charges for the killing of a senior lawyer and for critically wounding his young son inside a mosque in DHA.

The FIR was lodged on the complaint of the victim’s brother under sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempted murder), 109 (abetment of an offence) and 34 (common intension) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

South DIG Syed Asad Raza said the alleged prime suspect, Imran Afridi, confessed to the crime in a recorded video statement.

Imran said in the statement that he killed the lawyer, Khawaja Shamsul Islam, as an act of revenge for the alleged murder of his own father, Nabi Gul, a police head constable, four years ago. He said that frustration over not receiving justice had pushed him to commit the crime.

The suspect claimed that his father and Mr Islam had once been friends but developed a dispute over Rs3.5 million, though he did not clarify the nature of the disagreement.

Darakhshan police invoke terrorism charges in FIR

According to him, his father was initially kidnapped, held for three months and tortured, due to which he suffered psychological issues. He was then booked in a “fake” case, arrested and remained in jail for 20 days before being released on bail.

A year later, his father was again kidnapped, this time by the slain lawyer, and subsequently murdered, suspect Imran said, adding that over the past four years, he had failed to get justice from the law, mainly because the slain lawyer was an “influential” figure in the legal community.

He alleged that despite naming Mr Islam and another suspect, Molvi Ibadur Rehman, in his complaint for his father’s kidnapping and murder, no legal action was taken.

Imran further claimed that a confrontation had taken place between him and the deceased lawyer on Nov 14, 2024, during which the lawyer sustained minor injuries.

He also said that he had acted alone and that none of his family or relatives were involved in the killing. However, his entire family, including his younger brothers, was charged under terrorism laws and is currently in jail, he maintained in the statement.

“I killed Shamsul Islam. My family had nothing to do with it,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2025