Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said on Friday that a “significant arrest” had been made with regard to the assassination of former Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmaker Ali Raza Abidi in Karachi.
The chief minister revealed this during his meeting with the slain ex-lawmaker’s father here. He extended his condolences to Abidi’s father, Ikhlaq Abidi.
Abidi was shot multiple times outside his residence in Khayaban-e-Ghazi neighbourhood of Karachi’s DHA late Tuesday. He was shifted to PNS Shifa Hospital in critical condition where he succumbed to his wounds.
Shah apprised the father of Ali Raza Abidi of the investigations of the case so far and that the key arrest was made from Karachi airport. He said the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
The chief minister reassured Abidi’s father that his son’s killer would be apprehended.
Speaking to media later, he said he would not let anyone sabotage peace of the megapolis, adding that a few suspects had been arrested in connection with the assassination. Shah said the first incident took place in Quaidabad, after which successive incidents of violence in the city have raised alarm among authorities.
Meanwhile, sources said that two suspects said to be involved in the high-profile murder had been taken into custody from Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of the city.
They said the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) made the arrests in Gulistan-e-Jauhar following a tip-off from the suspect nabbed from the airport.
The sources further said the geo-fencing of the site of Abidi’s assassination had been completed.
It is suspected that the same group could be behind Abidi’s assassination and killing of Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) activists earlier this month.
Abidi’s death came days after two PSP workers were gunned down in the city’s Usmania Society locality. Earlier this month, six people were wounded when a low-intensity blast hit an MQM-Pakistan Milad gathering in Gulistan-e-Johar.
Published in Daily Times, December 29th 2018.
