KARACHI: A joint investigation team (JIT) comprising police and intelligence officials has been formed to look into the murder case of 19-year-old Intizar, who was killed by ACLC officials in the DHA neighborhood of Karachi. The JIT is expected to meet today at 11am.
On January 13, Intizar was killed when ACLC officials opened fire on his car when he did not stop upon their interception.
The joint investigation team will have representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Pakistan Rangers, Special Branch and Karachi Police.
According to a notification issued from the office of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) SSP in Karachi on Thursday, the JIT was supposed to meet for the first time on Friday (today) at 11am.
Earlier, the CTD had recommended the formation of the JIT to investigate the killing of Intizar Ahmed. According to CTD DIG Aamir Farooqi, the JIT would determine the reason behind the presence of the police at the crime scene, adding that the way Intizar’s car was stopped is suspicious. The JIT is also expected to evaluate the role of suspended ACLC SSP Muqaddas Haider.
DIG Farooqi said the decision to form a JIT was taken after consultations with Intizar Ahmed’s father.
“It seems this was an attempt to kidnap Intezar,” Farooqi said, adding that private vehicles were used by officials involved. The DIG stressed that the entire action was conducted quickly and unprofessionally. “Not a single police official was in uniform.”
CTD officials have identified the suspected shooters as Bilal and Daniyal – the former was the principal staff officer of suspended ACLC SSP Muqaddas Haider while the latter was his gunman. According to the officials, the presence of both officials, in civvies, at the time of the shooting is suspicious.
Meanwhile, the CTD has recorded the statement of Madiha Kiyani, the girl who accompanied Intizar on the night of the incident.
The father of 19-year-old Intezar, Ishtiaq Ahmed, had earlier demanded that the phone records of his son, Madiha Kayani and the accused policemen be collected.
He was speaking to Samaa via video link while his son’s friend, Madiha Kayani, who was present with him in the car when the shooting took place, was also taken on line.
Ishtiaq said that the data of all the ACLC officials involved should be collected along with that of his son’s and Madiha’s. Meanwhile, Madiha spoke to him on TV through the phone. She began with condolences, adding that she had been wanting to contact him but she failed to find someone who could connect the two. “You can ask me anything you want to,” she told the aggrieved father.
When asked if she could identify the culprits who shot at them, she said that anyone who is facing a shooting is usually unable to prioritize identifying the culprits over saving their life. “If I would have been killed, I would myself have been a victim,” she said. “I’m still in that state of shock.”
According to her, Intezar was like a brother to her. “I couldn’t understand what was happening at that time,” she said. “All I kept doing was ask Intezar who these people were and what was happening. After the gunshots, I don’t know what the car crashed into.”
I was in the car with Intezar and could have been shot, too, said Madiha. “Shots were fired on my side, too.” She added the she slid down to save herself. “I don’t know who the shooters were,” she said. “Even the CCTV footage would show you how I rushed to the rickshaw.” According to her, she forgot her phone in the car and went back to collect it. “All I could see in the dark was that there was a clean-shaved guy wearing black glasses. He was Intezar’s friend and he is not being dragged into this matter like I am.”
According to her, she had met Intezar only two or three times as they had become acquainted a week ago through their mutual friends. She said that she immediately called up other friends after the shooting happened and Salman was the first friend whom she contacted. “You recorded and aired my conversation without consent which is why I had to come on TV,” she said. “My father has been martyred. I was saving my life for my mother. Everyone thinks of their mother first and my mother is a heart patient since the age of 11. You should also understand the trauma that I suffered.”
Meanwhile, the father said that he was not aware of Intezar’s friendship with any girl. “He just came from Malaysia on November 29,” he said. “The guy, Salman, whom she is mentioning lives on my street.” He added that the boy who informed him that Intezar had been shot was also his neighbor, named Fahad. “He told me to go to Jinnah hospital and meet Salman.”