Two held for facilitating educationist’s murder in Gulistan-e-Jauhar

In a major development in a case pertaining to the recent targeted killing of educationist Syed Khalid Raza in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar area, the law enforcement agencies have reportedly detained two suspects for facilitating the murder.

It has been reported that the suspects, including a woman, were taken into custody during raids in Karachi and Punjab. It was revealed that the suspects had gone to the street of Raza’s house and they also possessed photos and videos of the location.

The arrested persons are said to be involved in reconnaissance of the victim and they were paid money through the mobile phone after they had completed the recce. The suspects provided the videos of the deceased's house and details of his routine to those who planned the killing. Weapons have also been found in the possession of the detained persons.

The police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials concerned neither confirmed nor denied the arrests. However, Raza’s brother Tanvir told The News that the family had held a meeting with a CTD official on Sunday who ensured them that the suspects involved in the murder would arrested soon.

The victim was shot and killed outside his house at 8:12pm on February 26 by two motorcycle riders. The assailants had already taken their position there and were waiting for him when he came out of the house. As soon as Raza turned towards his niece standing at the door, one of them fired at him and the bullet pierced his head.

The victim was the Karachi region deputy director of the Dar-e-Arqam Schools and vice chairman of a private schools’ federation. A separatist group of Sindh, Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA), later claimed the responsibility of the target killing. The investigators also suspected the involvement of Indian spy agency RAW in the murder as Raza had earlier been involved in the struggle for Kashmir.