Militant links hindering arrest of Harbanspura killers

LAHORE
The police have not been able to arrest the accused who murdered four people in the Harbanspura police precincts on Sunday because the accused were the office bearers of a banned militant organisation, investigating officials told Pakistan Today on Tuesday.
Harbanspura police have registered a case (No 1132/10) against six identified and two unidentified accused on the complaint of Athar Mehmood Shahid Khan, the head of Shahid Khan group and a resident of Afzaal Park, Harbanspura, under sections 324/302, 148 and 149 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and under Section 7 of Anti Terrorism Act (ATA).
The six identified accused include Hafiz Ghulam Farid, Bhola, Majeed alias Majeeda, Maqsood alias Sooda, Allah Rakha and Rustam Khan alias Rustam Muavia, the head of Rustam Khan group of Ghaziabad.
Police sources said that Rustam and Hafiz were Salars of a banned militant organisation, Sipah-e-Sahaba and were also nominated for the killing of more than 30 Shias, adding that they were acquitted by the courts because of lack of evidence.
Sources said that the case was assigned to the Harbanspura Police Station In-charge Investigation Amjad Iqbal and the police were conducting raids in search of the accused. Sources claimed that the accused were being supported by some politicians of the ruling party as well.
BAD BLOOD: Amjad Iqbal said that Shahid Khan and Rustam Khan had an old enmity over property issues. He said that Muslim Butt from Rustam Khan group was a resident of Mughalpura and was killed by Shahid Khan group in 2008.
He was of the view that Rustam Khan netted a plot to kill Shahid Khan who was nominated for Muslim’s murder. He said that on Sunday, the Rustam Khan group ambushed Shahid Khan and his gunmen when he was on his way home near Lal Pul, Harbanspura.
The accused opened fire and fled from the scene, killing the four security guards while injuring Shahid Khan. Shahid Khan was shifted to the Services Hospital where his condition is said to be stable.
Amjad added that the killed security guards were identified as Ashraf, Murtaza, Tariq and Sarfraz.