Journalist Athar Mateen’s murder suspect killed in Qambar encounter

Three days after the Karachi police declared the arrest of a man allegedly involved in killing senior journalist Athar Mateen for attempting to foil a mugging bid, another key suspect was said to have been killed during an encounter in District Qambar Shahdadkot on Tuesday.

The news about the killing of the key suspect, Anwar Hassani Broh, went viral on social media after Qambar Shahdadkot SSP Bashir Brohi issued a press statement about the shootout during a joint operation carried out by local and Karachi police.

The criminal record of the suspect, who hailed from Khuzdar, Balochistan, shows that there were 13 cases registered against him at different police stations of Karachi, including Shara-e-Noor Jahan, Nazimabad, Paposh Nagar, Surjani Town, Brigade, Sachhal, Azizabad, Orangi Town and Nazimabad. Arrested thrice – in 2014, 2016 and 2018 -- he had been released on bail each time.

Brohi and his companions, including Abdul Hameed Brohi and Shar Khan Brohi, were involved in snatching and stealing motorcycles as well as in looting rickshaw drivers and grocery shops. A reward of Rs2 million had been announced for his arrest.

On February 26, Ashraf, an accomplice of Brohi, had been arrested in the Manghopir area along the Sindh-Balochistan border. At a ceremony held at the Central Police Office in Karachi on Tuesday, Sindh’s Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Mehar distributed Rs4 million and appreciation certificates to the police personnel who participated in the joint operation.

On February 18, Samaa TV produce Athar Mateen was shot dead in his car in North Nazimabad. The suspects left their motorcycle at the crime scene and snatched another two-wheeler on the other side of the road and fled.

Mateen had been killed on a thoroughfare while he was on his way back home after dropping his children at school. He tried to foil a robbery bid by knocking down two armed motorcyclists, who were robbing a citizen. At this, one of the motorcyclists, who fell on the ground, stoop up and fired three shots, with one bulling hitting and killing him on the spot.

Journalists in Karachi and across the country have been protesting over Mateen’s killing and demanding justice.