‘Same group involved in KU professors’ killings’

Karachi
Investigators and senior officials of the Karachi police believe same elements are behind the murders of Karachi University professors Waheed-ur-Rehman and Shakeel Auj.
Prof Rehman, an assistant professor at the mass communication department, was shot dead on Wednesday morning by armed assailants near his residence in
FB Area while Prof Dr Shakeel Auj, the dean of Islamic Studies faculty, had been killed in September 2014.
“The group behind the killings of Prof Waheed-ur-Rehman and Prof Dr Shakeel Auj is probably the same. One of the suspected killers of Dr Auj is in police custody and we are trying our best to catch the ones who gunned down Prof Rehman,” a senior official of the city police told The News on the condition of anonymity.
It is pertinent to mention that in January earlier this year, Karachi police chief Ghulam Qadir Thebo in a press conference had claimed to have arrested a man, Muhammad Mansoor, allegedly affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), for his involvement in the assassination of Dr Auj.
Meanwhile, said the official, the military and civil intelligence agencies, along with the Rangers, were probing the murder of Dr Rehman with the Karachi police while also running their own parallel investigations.
He said the investigators had to “connect the dots” by identifying the perpetrators and analysing circumstantial evidence of both cases.
“One thing is for sure, these target killers and their handlers are targeting prominent personalities under a well-planned conspiracy to destabilise the city and give the impression that despite all efforts and dedication, the Karachi police and other law-enforcement agencies had failed to restore peace in the city,” said the official. “They are giving us message that they can target anybody, anywhere, anytime.”
He revealed that the investigators had prepared the sketch of one of the assailants who had fired at Prof Rehman. At the same time, geo-fencing was also being done of area where he was killed.
“We are obtaining footage from CCTV cameras while empty bullet casings have been sent for forensic analyses,” he said. “We are also questioning eye-witnesses.”

Investigators visit KU
Meanwhile, SSP Investigation for district Central, Arib Meher, along with sub-divisional police officer for Azizabad DSP Aijazuddin visited the Karachi University where they talked to the vice chancellor Muhammad Qaiser and faculty members from the mass communication department, among others.
The two sons of Dr Shakeel Auj had also been present at the meeting held at the office of vice chancellor.
DSP Aijazuddin said a clash between two groups of students had also occurred at KU a day prior to Prof Rehman’s murder while another one took place at the mass communication department as well. “We are trying to find out if the clash had anything to do with his murder,” he said.
“Another possible motive behind his killing could be an intention to defame the Karachi University and create a sense of fear and panic among faculty members and students. Both Prof Dr Shakeel Auj and Prof Rehman were PhD scholars who were well-respected among their colleagues and students and were popular figures in the varsity.”
Other officials while talking to The News revealed that investigators were also looking into the possibility of Dr Rehman’s affiliation with Daily Ummat, a paper critical of the MQM. However, a foreign hand might also be involved and that is also being probed, they said.
“But it is too early to say anything with absolute certainty,” it was said.
The News also learnt that the entire police team of district Central including SPs of Gulberg and Liaquatabad areas and their investigation departments, were interviewing the colleagues of Dr Rehman.
“The Rangers’ officials are also carrying out a joint investigation with the police. But I believe that they have also launched a parallel probe of the high-profile murder,” added the Karachi police official.