Journalist Athar Mateen’s murderer arrested from Balochistan: official

QUETTA: In a major development, the Balochistan government on Wednesday claimed to have arrested the alleged killer of journalist Athar Mateen from Khuzdar.

Samaa TV’s senior producer Athar Mateen was shot dead on February 18 in Karachi when he tried to foil a robbery bid in North Nazimabad.

Confirming the report, Balochistan’s Parliamentary Secretary Bushra Rind said that the alleged killer of Athar Mateen has been arrested in a joint operation launched by Sindh and Balocistan police.

She maintained that the alleged killer of the journalist is being shifted to Karachi from Khuzdar. 

Rind said that the arrested suspect hailed from Khuzdar, adding that after killing the journalist, the suspect moved to his native town to evade arrest.

Mateen had been assassinated at the main thoroughfare in North Nazimabad while he was on his way back home after dropping his children to school.

As per the police, Mateen, who was driving a car registered against AHT-180, tried to foil a robbery bid when he saw armed motorcyclists robbing another citizen by shoving his car into their motorcycle.

At this, one of the motorcyclists, who fell on the ground, opened fire at his car.

The assailant had fired three shots, but Mateen sustained only one bullet injury which killed him on the spot, the police had said.