The persons involved in the shootout in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) on Sunday night that resulted in the death of six people, including Nawab Akbar Bugti’s grandson Taalay Bugti, allegedly belong to influential business families and are using their links to pressurise the police for saving the suspects from arrest. Reliable sources in the police told Pakistan Today that the two accused were close relatives of Karachi-based businessmen and had also been involved in different criminal activities in the area. The absconders are stated to be the prime suspects in the shootout at the party and the police are conducting raids to arrest them. On the pressure exerted by a government personality, the police have not included their names in the FIR whereas officials have also been bribed for excluding their names from the list.
“Both the [suspects] have close links with Arif Rajar as they came together in the party,” said eyewitnesses, adding that both the groups used sub-machine guns (SMGs), Kalashnikovs and .222 rifles. After the incident, police had arrested 11 men but released them after interrogation. A security guard of a bungalow near the crime scene told Pakistan Today that the particular house, where the shootout took place, was booked for ‘dance parties’ every weekend. “I have frequently seen high-profile government officials, police officers, actors and actresses from the film and television industry entering the house on weekends.”