JIT formed to probe Saudi diplomat’s murder in 2011

KARACHI: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Sindh, on Sunday constituted an investigation team to probe the murder of Saudi diplomat Hasan Qahtani who was assassinated near the Saudi Consulate in Karachi in 2011.

As per the order issued by the CTD , the high-level investigation team was formed at the request of Saudi government that will be headed by chief CTD Sindh, DIG Omar Shahid Hamid, whereas the members include DSP Naeem Ahmed, Chief Transnational Terrorists Cell Raja Umar Khattab, Officer In-charge Shia Militants Cell Ali Raza, Investigation Officer Inspector Sarfraz Ahmed and representatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Investigation Bureau and Rangers.

According to Geo News sources, the development had taken place after some important information from the Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi diplomat Hasan Qahtani was assassinated on May 16, 2011 while he was heading to the Saudi consulate in Karachi from his residence. He was intercepted by four armed terrorists riding on two motorcycles who sprayed the diplomat with a volley of bullets in the Darakhshan area. Qahtani received four bullet wounds, including one on his head which caused his death. The investigators had found bullet shells from the crime scene, which were sent for forensic testing. The forensic findings helped investigators to obtain leads. Following the request of the Saudi government to expedite the investigation process, the higher authorities have now given the task of arresting the criminals to the Counter Terrorism Department Sindh, sources said.

They added that it was premature to fix the responsibility on any group; however, an international outfit had threatened the Pakistan and Saudi governments after the Abbottabad operation in which, Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden was killed. Besides, the murder was preceded by a grenade attack at the Saudi Consulate in Karachi after the Abbottabad operation. Some arrests were made in the grenade attack case and the held suspects’ connections were found to a sectarian outfit. The attack occurred about 60 metres from the consulate and it came days after unidentified attackers threw two hand grenades at the consulate but no one was hurt in that attack.

The investigation will not be limited to the international outfit that hurled threats but it will also focus on other motives, such as involvement of foreign hands or sectarian groups. The first meeting of the investigation team will be held today at the office of SP Investigation, CTD Karachi. The copies of the order were also forwarded to the concerned departments with the request to depute their representatives to assist the investigation of the high profile murder.