Police claims to make headway in investigation into ex-MNA murder

Sindh Police Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed to have made some headway in the ongoing probe into the targeted murder of Shia politician and businessman Ali Raza Abidi and said that “one of the murder weapons had also been used in another killing in Liaquatabad recently”.

According to CTD officer Raja Umar Khattab, two 30 bore pistols were used in Abidi’s murder. Six shots were fired from one weapon, while a single shot from another, he said. Investigators collected seven spent cartridges from the crime scene which were sent to the police forensic laboratory, the official added.
The laboratory’s report received by the investigators states that the 30 bore pistol from which six shots were fired was previously used in the murder of 23-year-old Ihtisham in Liaquatabad on December 10.
On the other hand, briefing the chief minister about the murder of Ali Raza Abdi, DIG South Javed Odho told the chief minister that cartridges were found from the spot where he was shot dead. The cartridges were sent for forensic testing and the report has revealed that the pistol was used previously in some other crimes which were already under investigation.
He also said that the victim’s mobile phone has been taken into custody and was being decoded so that his messages and calls could be investigated.
Addressing the participants of the meeting, the chief minister said that during the last six weeks six terrorist incidents have taken place in the city which was serious and alarming and could be not tolerated, therefore the law enforcement agencies, particularly the police, should take strict security measures and improve their performance.
Shah recalled and counted that in this time a blast in Landhi had claimed innocent lives, Chinese Consulate was attacked, a vehicle in District South was attacked, a Mehfil-i-Milad was attacked with a cracker in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, then PSP workers were killed in their office and now former parliamentarian Ali Raza Abdi has been killed.
“This shows that the dispersed terrorists are getting organised once again and we are twiddling our thumbs,” he said.
“There is no political interference in police affairs,” the chief minister said, adding that as the minister in charge of the Home Department he has made the police department an independent organisation. “Despite all that, the results were disturbing and painful.”