Abidi’s mother shows no confidence in CTD’s probe

Showing no confidence of the Counter Terrorism Department’s investigation of the murder of her son, the mother of former parliamentarian Ali Raza Abidi has alleged that the investigating authority has deliberately been spoiling the case by twisting the facts, destroying evidence and distorting the investigation.

Sabiha Ikhlaq Hussain, the mother of Abidi, a leader of the Mutahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan who was shot dead by unidentified assailants on December 25 outside his house in DHA Phase V, was addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club.

She said that after 100 days of patience, the family and friends of Abidi were finally showing their grievances and anger over the investigation.

Sharing details of the investigation, she said that the probe was started by a joint interrogation team headed by SSP South Peer Muhammad Shah, but no result came out of it, although they said to have done geo-fencing and collected CCTV footage after the murder.

She also said that in one of meetings between the SSP and Abidi’s father, it was established that the culprits had not followed him and could seen in CCTV footage in the street.

Later, the case was transferred to the CTD. Abidi’s mother shared brief facts of the case and said the law enforcement body was deliberately spoiling the case by avoiding direct evidences and incriminatory material available on record.

“The CTD is doing it just to save the skin of the actual culprits and has miserably failed to investigate this high-profile murder in a proper way,” she said. She appealed to the government, the apex court, and the heads of military and intelligence agencies to reinvestigate the case.

“[Abidi] was the person who always was there to raise voice for others; we didn’t know someday we would have to raise voice for him. Alas, still we are waiting for justice,” she said. Abidi’s father Akhlaq Hussain Abidi, who was also present at the presser, said Pakistan Peoples Party’s Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited his house for condolence and assured him that the murder would be investigated.

“But since then, no one from Sindh government has contacted us to inquire about the probe,” he said. He said that minutes before the presser, the CM’s adviser on law and information, Murtaza Wahab, called him and told him that the chief minister was inquiring about the reason for the presser.

A large number of friends and relatives of Abidi and lawyers were also present. MQM-P leader Dr Farooq Sattar, and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Khurram Bhatti were prominent among them.