KARACHI: A suspect booked in the murder of college student Zafir Zuberi near Karachi’s Do Darya area on Monday recorded a confessional statement before a judicial magistrate, in which he claimed that prime suspect Khawar Hussain Burney was the one who opened fire on the victim’s car and as a result killed him.
Khawar, his guard Abdul Rehman, his three underage brothers – Haider Hussain Burney, Hasan Hussain Burney and Hasnain Hussain Burney – as well as several absconding accomplices have been booked for the 18-year-old’s murder.
The prime suspect’s guard, Rehman, made some important claims on Monday, including that Zafir had been injured when Khawar opened fire on his car.
Police say the suspects had gunned down Zafir and caused injuries to his friend after Zafir, who was travelling in a Mercedes, hit motorcyclist Dr Abdul Raheem while on his way to breakfast with his friends on Abdul Sattar Edhi Avenue near Sea View on December 3.
At the time of the accident, Dr Raheem had been racing his motorcycle on the Abdus Sattar Edhi Avenue. After Zafir and company fled the scene of the accident, Raheem’s entourage, which was travelling in a Vigo, chased and opened indiscriminate fire on their car.
The suspect said he had traveled to Sea View beach along with Dr Raheem on December 3. Raheem’s other friends – Khawar, and two others identified as Hammad and Junaid Shah – had already been present near the site of the incident.
Dr Raheem was riding Hammad’s motorbike when he was hit by Zafir’s Mercedes, the suspect claimed. Having seen the accident, Khawar started chasing the Mercedes in his Vigo.
Rehman said he and Hammad too started chasing the Mercedes when they heard a shot being fired from Khawar’s vehicle. “I saw that Khawar Burney had opened fire on the Mercedes,” the suspect said, adding that when Khawar realised someone had been shot, he escaped the scene.
According to Rehman, Hammad and Junaid then picked up Dr Raheem’s shotgun and used it to smash the Mercedes’ windows.
“We then pulled the boys out of the car, beat them up and fled after snatching their cellphones and cash,” Rehman confessed.
He claimed the entire act had been committed by Khawar and his friends Hammad and Junaid, “I was just watching”.
Rehman is currently in jail on judicial remand.
A case has been registered against the suspects under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempted murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the deceased’s father, Fahim Ahmed Zuberi, at the Sahil Police Station.
Last week, three eyewitnesses had correctly picked out Khawar and Rehman during an identification parade before a judicial magistrate.
Published in Daily Times, December 19th 2017.