KARACHI: The deputy inspector general (DIG) of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) claimed on Friday in a press conference held at his office that a burnt car and charred body recovered by the Hub police were of Mustafa Amir, a young man who was kidnapped from Defence over a month ago.
He added that DNA profiling was being conducted to confirm the victim’s identity. According to police, the prime suspect of the case, Armughan, is currently in judicial custody in jail, as the court has denied his police remand. The investigation has also revealed that another person, who was a close friend of Armughan since school days, was also involved in the crime. He was arrested with the help of the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) and a sensitive agency.
The burnt car and body were recovered with the help of the lead provided by the arrested suspect.
CIA DIG Muqaddas Haider informed the media during the press conference that a police encounter had taken place on Saturday in the Gizri area in connection with the kidnapping case of Amir, during which Armughan was arrested.
He said a lot of misinformation had been spread about this case. Aamir went missing on January 6, and an FIR was registered on January 7, he explained, adding that the District South police initially attempted to solve the case.
After the youth went missing, his mother received a ransom call that demanded Rs20 million for his release, following which the CIA took over the investigation.
In the police encounter that took place in Gizri, DSP Ahsan Zulfiqar and a constable were injured. The arrested suspect, Armughan, was found in possession of Amir’s mobile phone, and bloodstains were discovered at the crime scene. With the help of the CPLC and a federal agency, another suspect Shehraz Bukhari, alias Shahvez, was arrested.
During interrogation, Shehraz confessed to his involvement in the crime and explained how Amir was murdered and the body disposed of. He said that on January 6, Amir was called to Armughan’s house, where an altercation took place. After killing Amir, the suspects transported his body to Hub in his car and set it on fire. They came back to Karachi the following day.
The Hub police had already registered a case regarding an unidentified burnt body and vehicle found in the area on January 12.
The body was later buried by the Hub police on January 16 in a graveyard managed by the Edhi Foundation. Armughan and Shehraz were close friends, and Mustafa was also part of their circle.
Police said the deceased youth was 23 years old while Armughan’s age was 31.
Shehraz also informed the investigators that Amir and Armughan also had a fight on New Year’s Eve.
During the raid in Gizri, police detained Armughan’s employees, who revealed that on January 6, Amir visited Armughan’s house where an argument took place leading to his murder. Armughan reportedly shot
Police have also collected evidence from various locations along the route to Hub where the suspects torched the car. CCTV footage from different locations between Karachi and Hub has been obtained, and statements from people at those stops have been recorded.
A total of 64 laptops were recovered from Armughan’s possession, revealing that he had been running a call centre and dealing in digital currency. The Hub police confirmed that the body and vehicle were found exactly as the suspect had described.
Police have collected DNA samples from Amir’s mother and would match them with the recovered remains. Further legal action would be taken after the DNA confirmation of the charred body’s identity.
Earlier, Amir’s mother had expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the Anti-Violent Crime Cell of the CIA. She said weak reasoning by the police in the court led to the court denying the police remand of Armughan. She also contended that Armughan was with the police before he was presented in a court and police could not obtain key information from him. She also expressed concern over police delaying the DNA test of the blood that was found in the Gizri bungalow. She said the family themselves provided the CDR, location, voice note and chat message to the police but they did not cooperate.
Former vice chairman of the Sindh Bar Council Syed Haider Imam Rizvi said the investigation officer had to play a key role in the dispensation of justice in such cases. He said even a minute flaw from the prosecution side could lead to the acquittal of the criminal.
He called for inducting honest and educated people in the police force, especially in the investigation side of the police.
Legal expert Shaukat Hayat remarked that if the prosecution and investigation did not proceed in the right direction, it could benefit the culprits. He said the prosecution witnesses should belong to the family of the deceased youth and the testimonies of two eyewitnesses could also result in the conviction.
He explained that it was the investigation wing’s responsibility to retrieve the body and weapon used in the murder.
Karachi Bar Association President Aamir Nawaz Warraich said the prosecution needed to include call data, CCTV footage, fingerprints and weapon in the evidence. He added that the case could be decided in a month.
The main suspect in the case, Armughan, belongs to the Qureshi family and his ancestral place is located near Rahim Yar Khan town.
Sources in police said Armughan worked for the dark web and was also involved in narcotics trade that enabled him to buy modern firearms. They added that Amir was in contact with Armughan because he consumed drugs. The deceased youth was also booked in a narcotics case registered in 2024.
Police sources said Amir had recently graduated but he and Armughan were not classmates. They added that Amir’s father was a government employee and he also had a younger brother.
Referring to the Mustafa Amir murder case, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah confirmed that significant progress had been made in the investigation although details could not be disclosed at this time.
He said the case revolves around the disappearance and suspected killing of 23-year-old Mustafa Amir in Karachi. He said that on January 6, 2025, Mustafa was reported missing from the DHA area, and an FIR was registered the next day. The CM deplored the judge’s remarks while denying the police request for the suspect’s remand.
