Police arrest killer of JUI-F leader, two teenagers

ISLAMABAD: The police Monday hunted down a man allegedly involved in the killing of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Qari Ikramur Rehman and two teenagers.

They were killed in front of Masjid Siddiq-e-Akbar located at the Prince Road, Bahara Kahu, on Saturday. The Islamabad Police, in a joint operation with Hangu police, arrested the suspect identified as Qari Shakil, when he was leaving to cross the Afghan border, police said.

A personal enmity was established after the arrest of the accused, who was working as a teacher at the seminary. He disclosed that Qari Ikram, who was the owner and manager of the Masjid and the seminary, had sacked him over a dispute, the police sources said.

Qari Ikram was coming out of his masjid along with his 13-year-old son, Samiur Rehman, and a student of the seminary, Habibullah (14), when gun men opened fire at them and fled, police, quoting the statement of the complainant Karamatur Rehman, said.

Karamat, the only eyewitness, told the police that he saw two or three attackers, who opened fire at Qari Ikram and two teenagers and ran away after killing them. “People engaged in the investigation suspected involvement of Qari Shakil in the killing as he had disappeared after the occurrence,” police said.

SP City Mohammad Umar said, “Though personal enmity has been established, further details will be ascertained during investigation.” He said three accused have mentioned in the first information report (FIR), but the investigation would find out how many people were actually involved.

Investigators said it could not be confirmed that two other people helped Qari Shakil in the killings. The accused used a Kalashnikov rifle in the attack and killed his targets through volley of bullets. The families of the victims called off agitation after the arrest of the main accused and buried the bodies.