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Surviving JSQM convoy ‘assassin’ being grilled
By S. Raza Hassan
The surviving suspected assassin from the attack on a JSQM convoy lies in bed at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre while two policemen stand guard on Saturday.—Fahim Siddiqi /White Star
KARACHI: Investigators are interrogating the surviving suspected assassin from an attack on a Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz convoy on Friday in a bid to ascertain who ordered the killings.
The suspect initially kept changing his story regarding his identity, and denied his involvement in the attack, but he has now conceded that he carried out the attack and that he is affiliated with a particular political party.
However, he is not divulging on whose orders the attackers acted, a senior investigator told Dawn.
JSQM chairman Bashir Khan Qureshi was unhurt in the attack, but the party’s Thatta district chief Mushtaq Ahmed Khaskheli was killed. The ambush was carried out near the Racecourse Ground in the jurisdiction of the Malir Cantt police station.
The JSQM convoy was on its way to join a protest rally on the Superhighway against the killing of party workers on July 15 and the police’s perceived failure to arrest the suspects named in the FIR.
One attacker was killed on the spot, while the other was wounded when Bashir Qureshi’s personal guards returned fire. Two accomplices of the attackers fled.
Another investigator told Dawn that the guards returned fire when the AK-47 rifle being used by the wounded suspect became jammed (the fourth bullet in the gun caused the problem). The retaliatory fire resulted in the on-the-spot death of the other suspect, who was riding the motorbike.
The wounded suspect has been hospitalised at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where he is under treatment and is said to be out of danger. The suspect had suffered bullet wounds in a leg.
Police have been deployed for the security of the surviving suspect, but some senior police officers expressed concern for his life.
‘Those who ordered Friday’s attack would also try to eliminate any evidence left behind,’ an officer remarked.
Investigators told Dawn that with the assistance of Nadra officials, the suspect who was killed at the crime-scene had been identified.
It was perhaps the first time that fingerprints collected by Nadra officials revealed the identity of a suspect, the investigator remarked.
The dead man was identified as Syed Mustafa Zahid, son of Syed Zahid Ali, a resident of North Karachi. He had a criminal record and had last gone to jail in 2004. He was released the following year. He was also booked in 1992 and 1995 for two separate murder cases, while his 2004 arrest was under the arms ordinance.
Regarding the other suspect, investigators said that the wounded suspect continually attempted to deceive the police about his identity. Initially, he identified himself as Zulfiqar, but throughout the night he kept changing his name. In all he gave the police 50 different names. Finally, however, the police were able to identify the suspect as Muhammad Imran, son of Muhammad Suleman. Mr Imran is better known by his alias, Imran Kala, and is a resident of Malir.
Mr Imran also has a criminal background and has previously been in jail. An investigator told Dawn that he was sent to jail in February 2006 and was released in November 2007. He was booked by the police for armed robbery and under the arms ordinance on three separate occasions.
Investigators told Dawn that according to jail records, both suspects are affiliated with one faction of the Muhajir Qaumi Movement.
The motorcycle which was allegedly used by the suspects in the attack bore a registration plate from Faisalabad (FSG-3625). Police verified the motorcycle through its engine and chassis number, but it was not registered with the Sindh excise and taxation department. Investigators have sent the motorcycle for forensic examination in order to ascertain if the two-wheeler was tampered with.
Workers of the JSQM, meanwhile, also handed over the identity cards they recovered from the possession of the suspects.
Investigators told Dawn that identity cards from the premier intelligence agency cited the suspects ‘ranks’ as ‘sources’. They added, however, that the intelligence agency in question described the cards as being fake.Police said that entry cards for the Malir Cantonment area were also recovered from their possession.
Police registered an FIR (No. 83/2009) under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempted murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Malir Cantt police station on the complaint of Naeem Mandero, an office bearer of the JSQM. The surviving suspect, who was initially identified as Zulfiqar (and later identified as Muhammad Imran), has been no minated in the FIR, a duty officer of the police station said.
DAWN: Sunday, 26 Jul, 2009
Attack on JSQM rally: ‘Govt trying to hush up case’
A large number of people gather in Hyderabad during a demonstration in reaction to the attack on the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz Leader Bashir Khan Qureshi in Karachi.—Online/File photo.
HYDERABAD: The chairman of his own faction of Jeay Sindh Mahaz, Riaz Chandio, has said that the people who attacked Bashir Khan Qureshi have been identified and fully exposed but the government is still trying to hush up the matter.
Addressing a news conference at the Jamshoro press club on Saturday, he urged the United Nations and human rights organisations to take notice of attacks on the nationalist parties’ leaders.
He warned that if the attackers of Bashir Khan Qureshi were not arrested immediately, people of Sindh would take to the streets.
Mr Chandio said that the state institutions were worried about moves by nationalist parties to get united and they were bent upon eliminating their leadership.
Ironically, the nationalist leaders of Sindh and Balochistan were targeted whenever the PPP came into power, he said.
He warned the rulers that if the accused were not arrested and awarded deterrent punishment, Sindhis would come out on the roads.
He announced that his party would hold a big rally in Thatta on July 30 in protest against settlement of outsiders in Sindh and other burning issues.
MQM: Zonal in-charge of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Mohammad Sharif and members of the party’s zonal committee have condemned murderous attack on the JSQM chairman in Karachi and expressed grief over murder of a JSQM leader.
They said in a press statement issued on Sunday that the attack was part of a deep-rooted conspiracy against permanent residents of Sindh and aimed at destroying peace of the province.
They said that the conspirators were trying to foment ethnic riots but their conspiracies would be foiled.
MQM leaders accompanied by Sindh Minister for Rural Development Zubair Ahmed Khan and MPA Waseem Hussain visited the JSQM media centre and met Dr Niaz Kalani, Saghar Hanif Burdi and other JSQM leaders.
On behalf of the MQM chief, they expressed condolences on the murder of Mushtaq Khaskheli and condemned the attack on JSQM chief Bashir Khan Qureshi.
DAWN. Bureau Report : Monday, 27 Jul, 2009
Target killings bid to sabotage peace in Sindh, says MQM
KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Coordination Committee denounced the incident of firing on a Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) rally and said that anti-state elements would not be allowed to sow the seeds of hatred and prejudice in the soil of Sindh.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, members of the MQM Coordination Committee said that the government should expose the criminal elements involved in the target killings of MQM workers and the assassination bid on JSQM Chairman Bashir Khan Qureshi.
They termed the attempt to murder JSQM chairman as a conspiracy to bring the people of Sindh in confrontation with each other by sabotaging the peace of the province and to derail the incumbent democratic set-up in Sindh. The Rabita Committee members also urged the president, prime minister, federal interior minister, Sindh chief minister and Sindh interior minister to order registration of an FIR against those involved in the firing on the JSQM rally. Online
MQM leaders meet JSQM chief
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members Naik Muhammad and Saleem Tajik met with Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) Chairman Bashir Qureshi at his residence on Sunday, said a statement issued by the MQM. They sympathised with the JSQM chairman over the alleged assassination bid on him and offered fateha on the demise of Mushtaq Khaskheli, a leader of the JSQM. App
Daily Times:July 27, 2009
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