Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh Rangers on Thursday interrogated senior leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Abdul Qadir Patel for his alleged involvement in serious crimes and links with criminal gangs operating in Lyari, Karachi.

Sources said that the interrogation, which continued for over five hours at the Rangers’ Karachi headquarters, took place with Lyari People’s Aman Committee chief Uzair Baloch sitting in the same room. After failing to give satisfactory answers to the investigating officer, Patel was transferred to an undisclosed location for further investigation, with sources saying that the PPP leader was expected to be remanded for 90 days in Rangers’ custody.

Sources that Patel was asked as to how he knew Baloch and in what capacity. To this, Patel replied that several PPP leaders, including him, used to seek help from Baloch and his Lyari-based gang. He was asked about the murder of Benazir Bhutto’s security chief Khalid Shahnshah who was killed in a drive-by shooting. Patel said he was not aware of the murderer, despite having close ties with Baloch. However, Patel named Zulfiqar Mirza as a possible lead, saying, “Mirza looked after all affairs.” The Rangers personnel kept pressing him for an answer stating that Baloch, who is in the paramilitary custody, had named him Qadir Patel and some other PPP leaders as planners of the murder.