On Monday, June 20, Awais Ali Shah, a lawyer and son of Sindh High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was abducted outside a superstore in the Clifton neighborhood of Karachi.
It was around 9pm when Justice Sajjad Ali Shah told Sindh Police Inspector General Allah Dino Khawaja about his son’s disappearance. In a couple of hours, police had confirmed Awais had been kidnapped by men wearing uniforms in a car with a fake police number plate.
Amid questions and concerns about the law-enforcement operation that has gone on for months in Karachi, there was another tragic setback. On Wednesday, June 22, assailants riding a motorcycle shot dead the renowned Sufi musician Amjad Sabri in the Liaquatabad locality of the city.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Justice Anwar Zaheel Jamaali took personal interest in the abduction and was briefed about the efforts for Awais Shah’s release. Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan flew to Karachi to assess law and order in the wake of the two incidents. Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif also arrived in the city, and was briefed by the director general of Sindh Rangers. “Raids are being conducted to arrest the killers of Amjad Sabri, and all resources are being utilized to recover Awais Shah,” he was told, according to a press statement. On June 27, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chairman of PPP which rules the Sindh province, presided over a meeting to discuss the situation in the provincial capital.
But there is little progress so far, and there aren’t too many clues about the whereabouts of Awais Shah and the assassins who targeted Amjad Sabri.
“The abduction resembles that of Salman Taseer and Haider Ali Gilani,” Sindh Information Advisor Mula Bux Chandio said after a high level meeting in the aftermath of abduction.
“No breakthroughs have been made so far, but police are investigating the abduction of Awais Ali Shah from a number of angles,” said a senior investigator who spoke to me on condition of anonymity. One of those angles is that the abduction may have been carried out by people who have cases pending in the Sindh High Court. It is plausible because there have been no calls for ransom.
According to Deputy Inspector General of Police Sultan Khawaja, there is a possibility that the assassination and the abduction are linked. “We have shortlisted half a million phone numbers and some of the data has helped us begin basic investigation,” Khawaja said, adding that police had also obtained data related to about 6,000 vehicles of the same model and make.
According to reports, Awais Shah’s cellphone was switched on for about five minutes in the Landi Kotal town in Khyber Agency, but investigators say it might have been an attempt to mislead them.
The Amjad Sabri murder case is equally complicated, police say. According to DIG Sultan Khawaja, police are investigating it as a sectarian crime, but that is the only angle. “There was a controversy over a plaza, we are investigating that angle as well.”
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the assassination in a statement sent out to reporters. Their spokesman Qari Saifullah said he had been killed because “he was a blasphemer”.
“But because of false claims by Taliban groups, such as that of the killing of PTI lawmaker Soran Singh, it is not the only aspect we are investigating,” another police official said. “It is possible that some other group may have killed him, but for similar reasons.”
Police were also investigating the case in the light of tweets made by senior MQM leaders, he said.
“Amjad Sabri had declined to join the Pak Sar Zameen party some days ago. Since then, he had been threatened,” alleged Mustafa Azizabadi, a senior London-based MQM leader. A spokesman of the PSP retaliated, denying the allegation and accusing the MQM of being funded by India for violent activities in Pakistan.
Days later, investigators claimed to have made a major breakthrough in the murder case. According to reports, police had detained a suspect with alleged links to Sabri’s killers. “We will deliver good news soon,” a senior police official privy to the investigations told a newspaper.
Investigators are also looking for a possible link between the two cases, especially because of their timing.
“Whether they were local or international, whether they belonged to political parties or outlawed groups, the wanted to prove that the law enforcers, especially the paramilitary Rangers, have been failed to restore peace in Karachi,” a security source asserted.
According to an ISPR statement, the army chief praised the Rangers and gave out a loud message that the operation had not failed. “Every assistance, including intelligence and material combat support, will be provided to the Rangers to accomplish their mission,” he was quoted as saying. “He directed all commanders, including those of intelligence agencies, to continue working hand in glove and to leave no stone unturned in finding the perpetrators.”
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto followed the lead, and tried to boost the morale of the police. Late on Monday night, a special cabinet meeting was held at the Chief Minister’s House in Karachi, with Syed Qaim Ali Shah in chair. The inspect general briefed the cabinet about the progress they had made. He said police had conducted a number of raids and arrested several suspects. “We believe Awais Shah is still in Karachi. And with the help of all the agencies and using all the technology at our disposal, we will recover him safe and sound soon,” he was quoted as saying.
It was around 9pm when Justice Sajjad Ali Shah told Sindh Police Inspector General Allah Dino Khawaja about his son’s disappearance. In a couple of hours, police had confirmed Awais had been kidnapped by men wearing uniforms in a car with a fake police number plate.
Amid questions and concerns about the law-enforcement operation that has gone on for months in Karachi, there was another tragic setback. On Wednesday, June 22, assailants riding a motorcycle shot dead the renowned Sufi musician Amjad Sabri in the Liaquatabad locality of the city.
Awais Shah's cellphone was switched on for five minutes in Landi Kotal
Supreme Court Chief Justice Justice Anwar Zaheel Jamaali took personal interest in the abduction and was briefed about the efforts for Awais Shah’s release. Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan flew to Karachi to assess law and order in the wake of the two incidents. Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif also arrived in the city, and was briefed by the director general of Sindh Rangers. “Raids are being conducted to arrest the killers of Amjad Sabri, and all resources are being utilized to recover Awais Shah,” he was told, according to a press statement. On June 27, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chairman of PPP which rules the Sindh province, presided over a meeting to discuss the situation in the provincial capital.
Awais Shah's cellphone was switched on for five minutes in Landi Kotal
But there is little progress so far, and there aren’t too many clues about the whereabouts of Awais Shah and the assassins who targeted Amjad Sabri.
“The abduction resembles that of Salman Taseer and Haider Ali Gilani,” Sindh Information Advisor Mula Bux Chandio said after a high level meeting in the aftermath of abduction.
“No breakthroughs have been made so far, but police are investigating the abduction of Awais Ali Shah from a number of angles,” said a senior investigator who spoke to me on condition of anonymity. One of those angles is that the abduction may have been carried out by people who have cases pending in the Sindh High Court. It is plausible because there have been no calls for ransom.
According to Deputy Inspector General of Police Sultan Khawaja, there is a possibility that the assassination and the abduction are linked. “We have shortlisted half a million phone numbers and some of the data has helped us begin basic investigation,” Khawaja said, adding that police had also obtained data related to about 6,000 vehicles of the same model and make.
According to reports, Awais Shah’s cellphone was switched on for about five minutes in the Landi Kotal town in Khyber Agency, but investigators say it might have been an attempt to mislead them.
The Amjad Sabri murder case is equally complicated, police say. According to DIG Sultan Khawaja, police are investigating it as a sectarian crime, but that is the only angle. “There was a controversy over a plaza, we are investigating that angle as well.”
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the assassination in a statement sent out to reporters. Their spokesman Qari Saifullah said he had been killed because “he was a blasphemer”.
“But because of false claims by Taliban groups, such as that of the killing of PTI lawmaker Soran Singh, it is not the only aspect we are investigating,” another police official said. “It is possible that some other group may have killed him, but for similar reasons.”
Police were also investigating the case in the light of tweets made by senior MQM leaders, he said.
“Amjad Sabri had declined to join the Pak Sar Zameen party some days ago. Since then, he had been threatened,” alleged Mustafa Azizabadi, a senior London-based MQM leader. A spokesman of the PSP retaliated, denying the allegation and accusing the MQM of being funded by India for violent activities in Pakistan.
Days later, investigators claimed to have made a major breakthrough in the murder case. According to reports, police had detained a suspect with alleged links to Sabri’s killers. “We will deliver good news soon,” a senior police official privy to the investigations told a newspaper.
Investigators are also looking for a possible link between the two cases, especially because of their timing.
“Whether they were local or international, whether they belonged to political parties or outlawed groups, the wanted to prove that the law enforcers, especially the paramilitary Rangers, have been failed to restore peace in Karachi,” a security source asserted.
According to an ISPR statement, the army chief praised the Rangers and gave out a loud message that the operation had not failed. “Every assistance, including intelligence and material combat support, will be provided to the Rangers to accomplish their mission,” he was quoted as saying. “He directed all commanders, including those of intelligence agencies, to continue working hand in glove and to leave no stone unturned in finding the perpetrators.”
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto followed the lead, and tried to boost the morale of the police. Late on Monday night, a special cabinet meeting was held at the Chief Minister’s House in Karachi, with Syed Qaim Ali Shah in chair. The inspect general briefed the cabinet about the progress they had made. He said police had conducted a number of raids and arrested several suspects. “We believe Awais Shah is still in Karachi. And with the help of all the agencies and using all the technology at our disposal, we will recover him safe and sound soon,” he was quoted as saying.