Police have arrested a suspect from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in connection with the recent killing of senior lawyer Khawaja Shamsul Islam, Karachi South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza said on Monday.
Islam was shot dead while his son was injured as they were leaving a mosque in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) on August 1. Darakshan Police registered a case the next day against eight nominated suspects under terrorism and murder charges.
DIG Raza told Dawn.com that the vehicle in which the suspect fled the scene of the murder was also recovered by police.
“Investigators have mapped the suspect,” the DIG said. “According to the evidence we gathered, he fled on a motorcycle alone.
“Police have also unearthed a bungalow in DHA being used by the suspects. CCTV footage obtained from the bungalow showed their activities before and after the lawyer was killed.”
According to the South police chief, investigators have so far obtained 30 pieces of CCTV footage of the suspects.
“With the help of human intelligence, police raided the residences of the suspects’ relatives in Karachi and detained several people for interrogation,” he added.
“With the help of Hotel-ID, the suspects were spotted in Hyderabad, from where their relatives were also detained. Through technological sources, police found that the suspects had fled to KP, from where one suspect was arrested,” said the DIG.
DIG Raza said that of the eight suspects nominated in the murder case, one was already in jail.
“The police have requested the court to investigate the imprisoned suspect,” he said. “Police are in constant touch with the family of the deceased lawyer, while guards have been deployed at their residence in DHA for security.”
This was not the first time that the lawyer was attacked by the prime suspect, as in November last year, he allegedly attacked the lawyer with 15-20 other accomplices.
According to the lawyer’s brother, Islam was shot twice and tortured. The case was registered with Clifton police under terror and other charges.
