KARACHI - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders Faisal Vawda and Imran Ismail escaped an attack here on Friday.
Both the leaders were attacked near city’s Delhi Colony area but remained unharmed as their vehicle was bullet-proof. Both were on the way after returning from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) office. Empty shells of 9MM pistol were found on the site of the attack, where police reached and initiated investigation. Talking to media persons, Vawda said that two armed bike-riders attacked him but by the grace of Allah Almighty he survived in the attack. The police cordoned off the area after the attack and launched a search operation but the attackers managed to escape.
Meanwhile, IG Sindh AD Khawaja has sought an inquiry report into the targeted attack. According to a statement, the Sindh police chief directed the authorities to arrest the suspects with the help of an effective investigation process.
Talking to media on Thursday, Vawda had termed recent actions and crackdown against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, in the wake of Altaf Hussain’s hate speech, a farce.
The NAB had summoned Vawda for an inquiry pertaining to fraudulent allotment of amenity plots. The notice was issued on Thursday under Section 19 of the National Accountability Ordinance shortly after the PTI leader held a press conference at his residence. The letter had said that hundreds of amenity plots have been allotted to Faisal Vawda Group – a business conglomerate run by the PTI leader himself – in the name of dummy companies and NGOs. The revenue generated from the ‘illegal’ utilisation of these plots has been used to finance terrorists and launder money on the pretext of investing in fund management companies, it alleged.
Separately, at least two suspected persons including an alleged target killer were apprehended during search operations by police in different areas of Karachi. On tip-off, the police conducted search operation in Shah Faisal Colony area and arrested a target killer affiliated with a political party’s militant wing. The target killer was identified as Hamid Piya. The suspect was shifted to undisclosed location for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the police conducted a search operation in Nazimabad and apprehended an alleged extortionist, whose identity could not be ascertained immediately.
Meanwhile, the police claimed to have arrested three Lyari gangsters who are involved in the murder of a trader and various other criminal activities. The three suspects identified as Sarwar, Raheem alias Langra and Shaukat alias Pera were arrested during raids in old city areas. Their arrests were disclosed during a press conference held by District City SSP Faizullah Korejo at his office on Friday.
Korejo said that the suspects were involved in the murder of a trader, namely Bakhti Rehman for offering resistance in a robbing bid a few days ago in Nayabad area of Lyari. The police first arrested an accused Sarwar and later arrested his two accomplices. SSP Korejo said that the suspects belonged to Baba Ladla group of Lyari gang war and were involved in various cases of crime. Separately, the police also claim to have arrested an accused, namely Nabi Buksh from old city area.