Newly-transferred SSP leads raid on Mirza’s house

Karachi
A heavy contingent of the South Zone police comprising around 20 mobiles and an armoured personnel carrier raided the residence of former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza situated in Defence Phase V and arrested three of his employees, including a gunman, driver and a domestic worker.
The raid was led by freshly-appointed SSP South Capt (retd) Chaudhry Asad, who was SSP Central but was posted to district South for this very occasion.
“Three ‘terrorists’ were arrested in the jurisdiction of Darakhshan police station while in possession of illegal weapons, for their involvement in the harassment and illegal occupation of the Darakhshan police station,” stated a text message sent by SSP Asad.
Later, the South Zone police identified the arrested suspects as Naek Muhammad Nohani from Thatta, Sikandar Ali Brohi from Thatta and Muhammad Ibrahim from Lyari.
The police also claimed that three illegal sub-machine guns were recovered from the accused. They also alleged that the weapons were provided by Dr Zulfiqar Mirza.
According to SSP South Chaudhry Asad, one of the arrested suspects, Muhammad Ibrahim, is also affiliated with the Lyari gangsters and is wanted by the police in a number of cases.
The police claimed that the Mirza’s residence was raided because “information was received about the presence of notorious terrorists who had occupied the Darakshan police station a few days ago along with Mirza and had harassed the police”.
Pre-arrest bail
The Sindh High Court granted protective bail to former home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza on Friday in a case pertaining to the illegal display of a weapon.
Mirza was booked by the Badin police for possessing a weapon for an unlawful purpose and resisting arrest.
His lawyer Ashraf Sammo submitted that his client was falsely implicated in the case to politically victimise him.
He said the police had fabricated the charges against Mirza for political reasons and the FIR was based on a flimsy story.
Apprehending the estranged PPP leader’s arrest, the lawyer pleaded with the court to grant him pre-arrest bail so that he could surrender before the trial court.
A single bench, headed by Justice Syed Mohammad Farooq Shah, granted protective bail to the applicant for a surety of Rs100,000, and directed him to surrender before the trial court.