Daily Times

Police claimed on Tuesday that they arrested the man who robbed 10-year-old Amal Umer’s family and fled from the scene on the day she was shot.

Karachi police chief Dr Amir Ahmed Sheikh said that the suspect Khalid, was arrested during an encounter carried out by personnel of Artillery Maidan Police Station. “Weapons, mobile phones and a rickshaw were seized from his possession,” the police chief added. The Karachi police chief further said that Khalid, a resident of Hijrat Colony had admitted to involvement in seven theft incidents.

“Khalid’s accomplice, Shahzad, was killed during a police encounter on August 13,” Sheikh said.

On August 13, Amal lost her life after being hit by a stray bullet during a police encounter in Karachi’s Akhtar Colony area. The bullet that hit Amal was from an AK-47 and was fired by a policeman attempting to kill a man, who had robbed the 10-year-old’s family a few minutes earlier as they waited at a traffic light to attend a concert on the eve of Independence Day.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court while hearing Amal’s case constituted a committee that will determine amendments necessary for police training, regulations and treatment of injured persons in hospitals.

As per the apex court’s orders, the committee will also determine the culprits in Amal’s case. The committee will include Advocate General Sindh, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, Lateef Khosa and Advocate Umaima.

During the hearing, Amal’s mother Beenish, recalled the horrifying events and said, “We were traveling from Korangi Road towards FTC when a man approached us at the signal and asked us to hand over everything.”

“There was a lot of traffic at the signal at the time. The man took my phone and bag and then told us to roll up the windows and left,” she continued. “As soon as my husband started the car, we heard a gunshot and a bullet suddenly hit our windshield.” “When I turned, I saw Amal lying in a pool of blood and my other daughter clutching my seat,” Beenish recalled and shared details of police and hospital negligence following the incident.

Published in Daily Times, September 26^th 2018.