KARACHI  -   Governor Sindh Imran Ismail on Saturday claimed that the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have made headway in probe into attack on renowned religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani in Gulshan-e-Iqbal area and good news in this regard is likely within a day or two.

On the other hand, the police have registered FIR of the incident against unidentified culprits and have carried out several raids in parts of the city to nab those behind the attack.

Although Mufti Taqi Usmani and his family survived the attack but his guards - one belonged to the Sindh police and other private one - were killed in the attack while the drivers of the vehicle also got injured.

Governor Sindh Imran Ismail along with Parliamentary Leader of PTI in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Shaikh visited Mufti Taqi Usmani at Darul Uloom Korangi seminary on Saturday and inquired after his health. The cleric divulged details of the incident to the governor to which he assured him that those behind the incident would be brought to justice.

Talking to media later outside the seminary, the Sindh governor claimed that the security agencies have made a breakthrough in probe into the case. “We are hopeful of good news in this regard within a day or two,” he assured.

He informed that security of Mufti Taqi Usmani was withdrawn following orders of the apex court. “However, in the prevailing situation we will reconsider it and the authorities concerned are being directed to beef up security of religious figures across the province,” he said.

Ismail asserted that the security agencies had brought back peace to the city after great sacrifices and they would keep it intact at all cost. “We stand firm with our security authorities in combating elements who are against the peace of the city,” he declared.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also visited Darul Uloom Korangi to meet Mufti Taqi Usmani and expressed solidarity with him.

Murad Ali Shah told Mufti Usmani that life attack on him was actually an attack on the peace of Karachi. “They don’t see Karachi developing, flourishing and emerging as a peaceful society, therefore they decided to create a wave of terror by attacking a humble, non-political, widely respected and renowned scholar like you,” teh CM expressed and added, “but Almighty Allah saved you and your children.”

Shah assured Mufti Taqi Usmani that the terrorist who attacked him would be arrested shortly. “The police have started combing operation to arrest the terrorists who attacked on you,” he told Taqi Usmani.

Mufti Usmani informed the chief minister that his car was attacked with ballots squarely. “A bullet crossing me from the back side of rear seat hit my police guard Farooq who was sitting on the front seat. Similar fires hit my car from different angles but Almighty Allah saved me and my two grand children who were with me but my both guard and driver could not survive,” he said.

He informed the chief minister that there are 12,000 students enrolled in his seminary whereas 3,000 are boarding in hostels. Mufti Usmani further said that the seminary offers O’Level and A’level apart from offering mufti, Maulvi and other courses. “We are purely non-political entity even then terrorists attack is beyond my comprehension,” he said.

The chief minister said that the attack was aimed at sabotaging the reviving peace and tranquillity of the city. “This why I am terming it an attack on the Karachi,” he said and added “I am quite happy that Almighty Allah kept you safe and secure for promoting peace, education and brotherhood in the city.

 

CM VISITS SLAIN CONSTABLE RESIDENCE

Earlier, the chief minister visited the residence of Constable Mohammad Farooq who was killed in the attack on Mufti Taqi in Bagh-e-Korangi area of the city and offered condolence to family members.

He met with all seven children of Shaheed constable, of them three, including a girl were blind. The chief minister felt sorry for them. The chief minister also announced to enrol the blind children in special schools. ‘I will provide proper education and treatment to blind children wherever it is possible,” he announced.

Shah said that there is no substitute of father for his children but “we will try our best to provide you good education, financial support, proper care and good life so that you no longer miss your father,” the chief minister promised with children who were continuously crying for their father.

The chief minister said that he would not make any announcement but “Inshallah you [family of Shaheed Farooq] will have each and everything,” he reiterated his word and added “Farooq was a brave policeman who laid his life but saved the lives of others. The chief minister pledged that killers of Shaheed Farooq would be arrested soon.

POLICE RAIDS, FIR

Meanwhile police arrested over three dozen people in pre-dawn raids carried out in parts of the city including Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Dalmia led by SP Gulshan Tahir Noorani. The police later verified the biometrics of those arrested persons and free some of them after initial probe.

The police have also registered a case against six unidentified men who opened fire on two vehicles carrying Mufti Taqi Usmani, his family and guards and drivers. The case 176/19 was registered on the complaint of Station House Officer (SHO) Aziz Bhatti Police Adeel Afzal, in the said police station and included the sections 324/34, 302 and ATA-7.