Suspect of Gulshan-e-Iqbal hit-and-run case still at large

The District East police have failed to trace and arrest the car driver who is allegedly responsible for the road traffic accident in Gulshan-e-Iqbal that killed an eight-year-old boy and injured his mother.

The woman and her minor son were injured after being hit by a speeding car in Block 7 of Gulshan-e-Iqbal two days before Eidul Fitr, but the boy later succumbed to his injuries.

Though the car driver had sped away from the scene, police traced the Mercedes car allegedly used in the hit-and-run incident to a farmhouse in Memon Goth, from where the vehicle was impounded.

Police said the farmhouse belongs to former Sindh police SSP and current Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Farooq Awan. “Police impounded the Mercedes car, which was parked at my farmhouse without my knowledge, brought by the son of my friend,” Awan told The News.

The lawmaker said his friend buys and sells cars. “My friend imports cars from Japan and parks them at my farmhouse. My employee informed me about the police coming to the farmhouse. When I arrived, I learned about the incident,” he added, and expressed his grief for the affected family.

Police said the accident had occurred on April 8, adding that after the CCTV camera footage of the incident was obtained, the injured woman’s brother-in-law Syed Ahmed registered FIR No. 235/24 at the Gulshan-e-Iqbal police station on April 9. The car was impounded from the farmhouse on April 14.

The FIR states that at 11:54am Nooria, wife of Agha, and her son Syed Yousuf Agha were crossing Allama Shabbir Usmani Road when a silver Mercedes, with registration No. AX-695, came speeding from Maskan Chowrangi and hit them.

The driver sped away from the scene. The child succumbed to his injuries during the Eidul Fitr holidays, while his mother is in a coma.

Though the car has been impounded and the driver has been identified, the police are yet to trace him and arrest him. There were reports that the police had raided the suspect’s home in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, but no one was present at the house.

Gulshan-e-Iqbal SIO Yaqoob Sammu said the suspect has been identified as Furqan Awan, son of Zahid Awan. He said the police are making efforts, and he would soon be in their custody.

When asked if MPA Awan would also be included in the investigation, considering the fact that the car was found at his farmhouse, SIO Sammu did not give a definite answer, saying that they would abide by the law.

When asked to comment on the suspect being the son of the legislator’s friend, the officer said that whether the suspect is the MPA’s friend’s son or his relative, it would be determined later. All of this will be cleared up after the suspect is arrested, he added.