Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday has ordered inquiry into Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Farooq Sattar’s coordinator, Aftab Hussain’s death in Ranger’s custody.
General Sharif has ordered to launch an inquiry into the matter and stated that justice should be ensured at all costs. Dr Sattar had demanded the Chief of Army Staff take notice of the incident after MQM alleged Rangers of Hussain’s extra-judicial killing.
Meanwhile, Rangers have suspended officials suspected of involvement in Ahmed’s death.
Aftab, 42, who had been working as Sattar’s coordinator since 2002, was taken into custody from his Federal B Area residence two days before his death. The paramilitary force had acquired 90-day remand of the suspect a day before he was admitted to a hospital.
A high-level investigation committee has also been formed on the directions of Sindh DG Rangers to probe the death of Dr Sattar’s aide. The committee will be headed by a sector commander-designate of Sindh Rangers and will ensure that the truth about the incident is brought to light, the press release added.
While the Rangers said Aftab Ahmed Hussain died of cardiac arrest, the MQM alleged their man was tortured during interrogation which led to his death.
Senior MLO Dr Kaleem said that reason of Hussain’s death was concealed over judicial orders. The final autopsy report will take more than a week.
A statement issued by Rangers said the accused complained of chest pain early in the morning and was taken to hospital where he died of a heart attack.
The Rangers spokesperson said Aftab was arrested over his involvement in different criminal cases on May 1. No details of the cases were shared.
The MQM, however, termed the death a murder and demanded that the authorities conduct an inquiry of the extrajudicial killing. The party has also announced a countrywide day of mourning for today (Wednesday).
MQM Convener Nadeem Nusrat rejected the Rangers claim that Aftab died of a heart attack, contending he was tortured to death.
In a statement issued from London, he requested the prime minister, chief justice, Karachi corps commander and army chief to order an impartial judicial investigation. The inquiry report should be made public within a week, he added.
Nusrat said MQM workers had died in the custody of law enforcement agencies previously as well but no action had been taken against them. He also accused the Rangers of kicking out doctors and staff from the morgue to tamper with the post-mortem report.
Aftab, father of five, joined the MQM in 1990. His funeral was held at Numaish Chowrangi, where a large number of workers gathered to offer prayers.