Other suspects’ lives at risk after killing of cops nominated in Arshad Pappu murder case

With back-to-back broad daylight killings of two dismissed police officers linked with the gruesome murder of Lyari gang leader Arshad Pappu, the risk to the lives of three more co-accused persons, including an ex-lawmaker and a police inspector who are also on bail, has increased as they are likely to be next targets.

Former Chakiwara SHO Chand Khan Niazi was gunned down on Tuesday less than three months after another ex-Chakiwara SHO Javed Baloch was killed. Niazi was shot dead along with another man Abdur Rehman, 40, while they were returning on a motorcycle after attending a court hearing at the Central Jail Karachi.

Former member of the National Assembly Shahjahan Baloch, inspector Yousuf Baloch, former councillor-cum-representative of the banned Peoples Amn Committee (PAC) Akram Baloch and the two slain ex-police officers had obtained bail in the Arshad Pappu kidnapping and murder case, whereas, three more suspects nominated in the case — the banned PAC chief Uzair Baloch, Zubair Baloch and Zakir Dada — are currently in jail.

“Two ex-police officers who were on bail have so far been killed while the security threats to the lives of the remaining three suspects who are on bail have increased and they could be the possible next targets of the assailants,” says a police officer familiar with the case.

“After Javed Baloch’s killing, these co-accused, including former SHO Chand Khan Niazi, who were on bail also approached the court for security but it remained pending as police officials concerned were not taking the security issue seriously.”

Police investigators told The News that they were investigating the former SHOs’ murders from two angles. An officer said that Arshad’s successor Bilal Pappu and his group, whose footprints have been traced in the Jahanabad area and its surroundings, could have been involved in the killings, but the investigators are also probing the possible involvement of Jamil Changa, a close aide to Uzair, as those who were or are on bail are going to be approvers against Uzair.”

The officer explained that not only these two ex-police officers were allegedly killed by Bilal but Arshad’s successor was also possibly involved in the March 2013 target killing of Assistant Sub-Inspector Zakir Hussain, alias Commando, near the PNS Shifa. He was hit by more than a dozen bullets and died on the spot.

Police investigators said that apparently the same gang is involved in the killing of police officers involved in Arshad Pappu’s gruesome murder but they were waiting for the forensics reports and CCTV footage.

“The forensic reports will help us ascertain the group or groups,” Preedy SHO Pawan Kumar told The News. “Apparently, the killers are from Lyari but nothing could be said exactly until the investigation is completed.”

The officer said that the same modus operandi was used in the killings of both the ex-police officers as they were targeted while returning from court.

Meanwhile, police have registered a case against unidentified suspects for killing Niazi and his companion in the Preedy area on Tuesday. The case was registered on the request of Ghulam Mustafa, the son of Niazi, and the police also placed the Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act in the FIR.

Former Chakiwara SHOs Javed and Niazi were charged with their involvement in the March 2013 triple murder of Pappu, his brother Yasir Arafat and their confidante Juma Shera.