Daily Times

KARACHI: Police and Rangers on Tuesday claimed to have arrested a suspect allegedly involved in murdering Orangi Town Pilot Project (OTPP) director Perween Rehman.

Rangers also claimed to have arrested at least 10 more suspects during ongoing raids and operations in parts of the city, including the activists of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London.

The suspect allegedly involved in targeted killing of Perween Rehman was arrested during a raid conducted on a tip off in Site Area.

Investigation SP Zeeshan Siddiqui said that Manghopir Police inspector Muhammad Urs Rajar arrested accused Amjad Hussain Khan alias Amjad Afridi, son of Jameel Khan. “They also seized a pistol and a hand grenade from his possession. The accused is also an absconder in the Perween Rehman murder case,” he said.

Perween Rehman, a media-shy social worker, who devoted her life to the development of the impoverished neighbourhoods across the country, was gunned down near her office in Orangi Town on March 13, 2013. Interestingly, the very next day, police killed an alleged Taliban operative named, Qari Bilal, in an alleged encounter and claimed that he was the murderer, resulting in closure of the case.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on April 15, 2014 ordered the authorities to conduct a fresh probe into the murder after the judicial inquiry revealed that police officers had manipulated the investigation.

Two of the prime suspects, namely Rahim Swati and Ahmed Khan alias Pappu Kashmiri have already been arrested from Karachi and Mansehra, respectively.

Separately, Rangers arrested at least 10 suspects during ongoing targeted raids and operations in parts of the metropolis.

A militant of a banned outfit was arrested during a targeted raid conducted on a tip off at Jackson area, said Rangers spokesperson. “The accused identified as Qari Zulfiqar was affiliated with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and has been involved in facilitation of the terrorists,” he said.

Two more suspects were also arrested during a targeted raid conducted on a tip off in Jackson area. The suspects arrested were identified as Syed Javed alias Tarzen and Adnan Shabbir alias Pakori alias Manjan. A Rangers spokesperson said that the suspects arrested were affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London and were involved in various crimes including the murders, extortion as well as propaganda against the state and the Pakistan Army on the behest of leadership of MQM-London.

Four more suspects were also arrested during raids in Saudabad area, said the spokesperson, added that the suspects arrested were identified as Suleman alias Kalu, Bilal, Kashif and Shahid alias Shikari. He said the suspects arrested were involved in various cases of street crimes. Meanwhile, three drug peddlers were also arrested during a targeted raids conducted at Saudabad, Gulbahar and Jackson areas, said the Rangers spokesperson, adding that the suspects arrested were involved in drug peddling. The Rangers also claimed to have recovered arms and ammunitions and narcotics from their possession. The suspects were later handed over to the police.

Published in Daily Times, October 25^th 2017.