KARACHI -  The Counter-Terrorism Department of the Sindh Police claimed on Saturday to have arrested a man involved in the murder of a trader.

Separately, the Sindh Rangers apprehended 13 suspects, including militants associated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).  According to CTD police chief Raja Omar Khattab, a key suspect involved in a criminal case has been arrested. He said the accused was arrested during a raid, which was conducted on a tip off in the Sohrab Goth area.

He said that Abbas Ali Merchant was a big name in the cattle business. Well respected among the business community, Merchant was a wholesale supplier of cattle feed and medicines for the last 30 years. He was shot dead at a cattle farm located in the city’s biggest cattle market, known as Bhains Colony, in August 2015. The police had initially claimed that Merchant lost his life in an armed clash with a rival group. However, later in the investigation it revealed that it was a pre-planned attack.

Police said the prime suspect, Chaudhry Shabbir, had called Merchant to the farm to settle a longstanding dispute. Soon after Merchant arrived at the farm, accompanied by four of his personal guards, Shabbir attacked him. Merchant and two of his security guards were killed while Shabbir’s cousin, Muhammad Hussain, was also killed in the incident, which later revealed that Shabbir was involved in the killing of Hussain and later blamed Merchant for his killing.

Shabbir and Merchant had been involved in a monetary dispute for some time. Abbas Merchant had invested nearly Rs80 million in a business venture of Shabbir, however, some time later he told Merchant that the business had gone into a complete loss.

CTD in-charge Khattab said that the suspect arrested was also produced before an anti-terrorism court while further investigation was underway.

Separately, Pakistan Rangers, Sindh on Saturday claimed to have arrested at least 13 suspects during ongoing targeted raids in parts of the metropolis. Two suspected militants of the banned militant outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan were arrested during a targeted raid conducted in Kharadar area. The suspects arrested were later identified as Abdul Aleem and Tariq. According to the Rangers spokesperson, the suspects arrested were associated with the TTP and they were involved in various cases of target killing, extortion and anti-state activities.

In another raid, a suspected gangster belonging to the Lyari gang war identified as Kumail was arrested during a raid conducted in Kharadar area. Rangers spokesperson said the accused had confessed his involved in various cases, including a grenade attack at Shah Alam Market in 2015.

Also in Kharadar, the Rangers troops arrested a political worker of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London. The accused was later identified as Raheel Kaleem, who was involved in extortion.

Meanwhile, four suspected street criminals, Niaz Hussain, Dil Sher, Rasheed and Ghulam Rasool, were arrested from Gulshan-e-Maymar. Five drug peddlers, later identified as Shahzaib, Nawaz Ali, Sharif, Rafiq and Abid Ali, were arrested during separate raids conducted by the Rangers in Madina Colony, Kharadar, Gulshan-e-Maymar and Zaman Town. The arms and narcotics were also recovered from their possession. The suspects were later handed over to the police.