No arrests in Amjad Sabri murder case yet, says police chief

Karachi: Dispelling media reports, the Karchi police chief said on Sunday that nobody had been arrested in connection with the murder of renowned Qawwal Amjad Sabri yet.

A day earlier, TV news channels had reported a suspect had been held in connection with the killing and he had confessed to not only his involvement in the crime, but also disclosed the names of his accomplices.

Additional IG Karachi Mushtaq Mehar, however, rejected the reports asserting that nobody had been arrested so far.

“Several people were detained on the suspicion of their involvement in the murder but they were later released after no evidence was found against them,” he added.

The official also denied issuing the suspect’s picture, which was showed by TV channels.

Following widespread reports of a crucial arrest in the Amjab Sabri murder investigation, in a statement issued by the city's police department on Sunday, a spokesman clarified that news reports aired on certain television channels about the police having arrested a person for carrying out the murder were "baseless and not true".

However, in the statement, the spokesman, Qamar Zaib Satti, mentioned that there had been certain positive developments in the case, but refrained from sharing further details of the progress made till now.

The statement added that the police was pursuing the matter with complete dedication and if any accused was arrested, relevant information would be shared with the media and public at the earliest. Sabri was gunned down in Liaquatabad on June 22.

MQM demands release

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement coordination committee has demanded the immediate release of Ismail Mehboob Siddiqi, who arrested by law enforcement agencies in connection with Sabri’s murder.

Accompanying the committee’s members at a press conference, Ismail’s sister said a picture of her brother was shown on TV channels linking him to Sabri’s murder even though the latter was like his elder brother.

 The committee thanked the Karachi police chief for clarifying that Ismail was not linked to the case.

Ismail’s sister said her brother was arrested on July 16 in Pak colony and then the media were told that he was rounded up from Surjani town.

She added that Ismail had never travelled abroad, but it was being claimed that he had visited Thailand.