Related Articles: Eerie silence on the 26 target killers

26 target killers shook Karachi

 

PULSE EXCLUSIVE REPORT

 

 

As, once the city of lights, Karachi continues to bleed, a joint interrogation team (JIT) set up by the federal and Sindh governments to interrogate the accused arrested on the charge of being involved in targeted killings in Karachi, has revealed the names of 26 hardcore “killers” involved in ethnic and sectarian killings during last one year in the metropolis.

 

The JIT comprising representatives of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Special Branch, and the Crime Investigation Unit (UNIT), unanimously finalized the list and sent it to the federal and provincial governments a couple of months ago.

 

It is to be recorded that this is the list that have often been mentioned by the Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza , however he never revealed the names of the detained target killers and their affiliations with a view to avoiding the anger of a key coalition partner, which tops the list of respective hardcore killers.

 

The names of the detained target killers and their affiliations are, Habib-ur-Rehman s/of Majeed-ur-Rehman (MQM), Murad Akhtar Siddiqui s/of Minhajuddin Siddiqui (MQM), Jamal Abdul Nasir (MQM), Waseem Ahmad alias Barudi s/of Samiullah (Lashkar-e-Jhangvi), Mohammad Abdullah alias Taimor s/of M.Riaz Shahid (Lashkar-e-Jhangvi), Tahir Ali alias Topchi (MQM), Imran alias Irfan Lamba s/of  Mehboob Ali (MQM),  Shariq Nafees alias Sherri s/of Mohammad Nafees Shaikh (MQM), Atif Rasheed alias Gohar s/of Abdul Rasheed (MQM), Imran alias Akoo s/of Habibullah (MQM), Anas Bin Haroon s/of Haroon Rasheed (MQM), Syed Abu Irfan alias Urfi s/of Syed Abu Asad (MQM), Mohammad Ishtiaq alias Salman alias police wala (MQM), Mohammad Yaseen s/of Abdul Haq (MQM), Rizwan Mahmood alias Khalid chamber s/of Mehmood Khan (MQM), Maqbool Hussein alias Maqboola s/of Ali Hassan (MQM-Haqiqi), Hafiz Ikhlaq s/of Pervez Akhtar (Lashkar-e-Jhangvi), Asif Rasheed alias Dumba s/of Haroon Rasheed (Lashkar-e-Jhangvi), Nasir Qadri s/of Abdul Qadeer (SSP), Mohammad Shoaib s/of Mohammad Ali (SSP), Mashwar Nawaz alias Mashwari s/of Anwar Khan (ANP), Syed Ali Mehdi alias Suleman s/of Syed Jaffer Ali (Sipah-e-Mohammad), Azhar Ali alias Uncle alias Babu s/of Abdul Rehman (MQM-Haqiqi), Abdul Aziz Ansari s/of Abdul Naseer Ansari (MQM-Haqiqi).

 

According to the JIT, these target killers, who were either arrested red handed or on tip-offs, have confessed to killing their rivals in different parts of Karachi .

 

“ They are in the custody of law enforcing agencies, however when they would be presented before the media and tried in the courts, that is upto the government”, a member of the JIT told weekly Pulse on the condition of anonymity.

 

“ Until unless there is the policy of reconciliation, I don’t think they (killers) would be tried or presented before media”, he maintained.

 

Political circles often blame the PPP government for not taking the culprits involved in target killings that have engulfed over 1000 lives during last couple of years, just to save its fragile rule in center and Sindh.

 

Though, many other target killers have reportedly been released by the law enforcing agencies in recent past due to political pressures, however, the capture of these 26 target killers, who have been involved in killings of over 100 political and religious activists, is considered a big catch by the security agencies.

 

Their startling confessions before the JIT, have vindicated the general impression that there is no so-called “third force” often described by the interior minister Rehman Malik, behind the perpetual spate of targeted killings in the city, but this is the work of coalition partners themselves.

 

Their confessions are just enough to elucidate what has been happening in Karachi , and expose the faces of so-called innocent “revolutionaries”.

 

Mohammad Ishtiaq alias policewala, an active member of Muttehida Quami Movement (MQM), which has recently jolted the national politics with slogan of an imminent revolution, had been the supervisor of three  teams of killers involved in targeted killing in all over Karachi , till his arrest a few months back.

 

This is not for the first time he has been arrested. He was nabbed by the police on the charges of murder, attempt to murder, carrying illegal weapons in 1997 and 1999 respectively.

 

However, he managed to get bail in line with hundreds of other MQM workers involved in heinous crimes, during era of former military dictator General rtd Pervez Musharraf, who was vehemently supported by the MQM in reciprocation.

 

Born in 1971 in Model Colony Karachi, joined MQM in 1996/97, and was arrested, for the first time in 1997, by Azizabad police for carrying illegal weapons. After release from the jail, he met Fahim Kankatta, who motivated him to join the militant wing of the party in the same year.

 

He also traveled to South Africa , the headquarters of killers involved in target killings, in 1999 and stayed there for 9 months. On his return, he was again arrested by SHO Ghazanfer Kazmi, the then SHO Azizabad police station and booked him in  five cases of murder. He remained behind the bars for over two years, and later managed to get bail as soon as the party joined hands with Pervez Musharraf.

 

Policewala, a former personnel of Special Branch, told the JIT that he resumed his “activities, in 2003, however he remained inactive in the party for next 4/5 years on the advice of a key party leader and a provincial minister, Shoiab Bukhari. Mr Bhukari also worked to reinstate him in the Special Branch in 2003.

 

Here comes Adeel Bhai, the reported ring master of target killers in Karachi , who contacted policewala, and many others two and half years ago. According to policewala, Adeel Bhai knew him because they worked together in South Africa .

 

Adeel Bhai assigned the task to policewala to select other party loyalists like him for establishing a new “setup”  for the party  Set Up is a code for establishing a new killing team, policewala revealed to the JIT.

 

Ishtiaq Policewala had been the member of those teams, which attacked the anti-MQM police officers, including SSP Aslam Khan whose vehicle was ambushed in 2006 at Punjab Chowrangi killing two of his gunmen, and retired DSP Rahim Bangish in 2008. the two police officers had been active in operation against MQM in mid 1990s.

 

Policewala along with another team composed of members Ubaid K-2, Rafay and Nomi killed Inspector Nasir-ul-Hassan Zaidi, another police officer who remained active in operation against MQM, in 2010, however, Nomi, the newest member of policewala’s team, received a bullet in his leg in exchange of fire.

 

During the same year, the policewala team chose DSP Nawaz Rhanja, a brilliant police officer as its new target. They ambushed and killed Rhanja near Radio Pakistan office at M.A Jinnah Road during last Ramadan, when he was on his way back after discharging his duty at traditional traweeh prayers at Khalique Dina Hall.

 

Policewala disclosed that one and half months before the murder of MQM MPA Raza Haider, Adeel Bhai asked him to give instructions to all the teams working under him to target the ANP leaders. However, he said he and his team members were not involved in any targeted killings after murder of Raza Haider. Instead, he said, it the was work of Unit and Sector level vigilance committees.

 

He also disclosed that there are many party “set ups” involved in targeted killings in Karachi . Initially, Shakeel Umer was appointed as in charge of all the teams of target killers, however he got busy in land grabbing, therefore he was set aside by the party high command, and Ajmal Pahari and Saeed Baharm were assigned the said task. They too, he said, got  involved in land grabbing and other corrupt activities propelling the party to set up vigilance committees under Unit and Sector  level to carry out the task.

 

Policewala also confessed to killing various activists of ANP and MQM-Haqiqi, a splinter faction of Altaf-Hussein-led MQM in different parts of the city during last two years.

 

Shariq Nafees alias Sheri, another top-notch target killer, was member of a team of target killers comprising Atif, Irfan, Imran Lamba (who too has been arrested) and Zain, whome were given the task to clear Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of ANP workers.

 

Sheri confessed before the JIT that they killed various fair-skinned people suspecting them of being Pashtuns in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area as the party high command wanted them to force Pashtun residents and shopkeepers to leave the area.

 

Good Broast, A fast-food shop near Jauhar roundabout was the sitting place of Sheri and his other teammates. Adnan, an active member of the Gulistan-e-Jauhar sector of the MQM, was responsible for arms supply before any attack, for which they used the codeword  of “mission”.

 

He disclosed that the prime targets of his team was “Pathans”, whom they sprayed with bullets in reaction to any violent incident in the city. Their targets included Nabi Khan, a brother of Naeem Khan, President of electronics market Shah Faisal colony, Haji Aslam Pathan, owner of famous Madina Hardware Gulistan—e-Jauhar,  and various bus drivers and conductors.

 

Sheri revealed that they used to fire indiscriminately on moving buses, which are mostly owned by Pashtuns in retaliation to the killings of any MQM member in the city, near Jauhar roundabout.

 

Atif Rasheed,  22, a member of Gulistan-e-Jauhar sector of the MQM, was detained by the rangers four months ago on the pointation of already detained target killers. During interrogation, Atif , a resident of Gulshan-e-Jamal, Rashid Minhas road, confessed to killing Fayyaz alias Kala, and Amjad, two activists of Punjabi Pakhtun Ittehda (PPI) on July 13, 2010, near Alladin Park .

 

He disclosed that he along with his accomplices Shariq, Zain and Imran, resorted to firing on a car near Rabia City apartments Gulistan-e-Jauhar in 2010 killing three ANP activists namely Aamir, Saqib and Fazl Rahim.

 

Atif confessed that he along with his accomplices used to target watchmen (chowkidars), mostly Pashtuns, of different apartment buildings in Gulistan-e-Jauhar killing and injuring many.

 

He also confessed to killing Pashtun owner of a hardware shop at Suuny Pride apartments in Gulistan-e-Jauhar after killing of MQM MPA Raza Haider.

 

 

Syed Abu Irfan Urfi, an accomplice of Ishtiaq policewala, was detained by the police on the latter’s pointation. A resident of F.C area, Urfi, was considered the right-hand of policewala, and had been part of the “death squad” involved in killings of DSP Nawaz Rahanja and DSP Rahim Bangish.

 

He disclosed that he was armed with a 9MM pistol and fired 6 bullets on DSP Nawaz Rhanja killing him on the spot, while Ranjha’s driver, who lost his life in that incident, was fired upon by Nauman alias Nomi, another member of the death Squad.

 

Urfi, had not merely been part of policewala’s  “set up”, but also operated separately on the orders of high command. He confessed to killing  Munna Hqiqiwala, an active member of the MQM(H) in 2008.

 

Being an active member of Liaquatabad unit, Urfi had been member of the death squad led by Ishtiaq policewala for last two and a half years, till his arrest.

 

Maqbool Ahmed alias Maqboola, 43, belonging to MQM-Haqiqi, is the head of a team of target killers comprising Ahmad Kamal, Nadeem Nabi alias Kaloo, and Yaseen Ghouri was arrested by Special Investigation Unit (SIU) on November 15, 2010. The JIT report says that he is involved in murder of MQM (A) in different parts of Karachi .

 

He joined Mohajir Quami Movement in 1985/86 in Malir sector, and later joined the splinter faction of the party led by Afaq Ahmed, who has been languishing in jail for last 9 years.

 

During interrogation, Maqboola disclosed that he along with his other accomplices Ejaz Baboo, and Naveed Shah, and Dilawar Khan killed a MQM activists Abdul Aziz in Saudabad area in 2009, while on the instigation of chairman Afaq Ahmed, he injured MQM workers Zafar Urooj and Babar Alam within remits of Model Colony and Saudabad respectively in 2009.

 

Hr disclosed that he and his other accomplices had been active against MQM(A) activists who either were involved in murders of Haqiqi activists or working against party interests.

 

Nasir Qadri alias BBC, belonging to outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has been involved in killings of Shiites along with his deceased brother Nadeem Ahmed. Nasir, 28 disclosed that he along with his brother Nadeem, Ahmed, who died in 2000, resorted to indiscriminate firing on a Shiite congregation in 1995 when he was only 12 years old, killing and injuring various people.

 

He said he and his brother resorted to firing on the congregation in retaliation of an attack on his house by Shiite youths in Kashmiri Mohallah, Gulbahar Karachi.

 

His brother was arrested in that case, however Nasir managed to escape. His brother , Nadeem was released on bail after one and half years, and killed two more Shiites in 1997.

 

Nasir also confessed to killing along with his accomplice Shoaib, another Shiite, Ayub Naqvi a few years ago at Nazimabad bridge to avenge the death of a SSP worker, Shahzad, who was gunned down 15 days before Ayub’s murder in Peetalwali street .

 

Mashwar Nawaz, 35, had been acting as Airport sector in charge of the ANP till his arrest on November 22, 2009 by Shah Faisal colony police.

 

The accused revealed to the JIT that he along with his other accomplices Tahir Khattak, Faisal Asif and Yasir resorted to firing on Mohsin and Ashok alias Tota, two MQM activists in Shah Faisal colony over a wall-chalking dispute.

 

Mashwar also confessed to killing a MQM activist Rizwan on July 23, 2010 in Shah Faisal colony, besides injuring various MQM and Hazara group activists in different incidents of indiscriminate firing.

 

Confessions in the investigations held by the JIT clearly point the fingers towards the real culprits. The Target Killers are mere mules which work on the behest of their masters.

The real criminals are those politicians who pose as true leaders in front of the general Public.

Comments

comments