Muhammad Imran alias Imran Saeed, a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist arrested by the Rangers in connection with incidents of targeted killings in Karachi, disclosed before a joint interrogation team (JIT) that they were instructed by Hammad Siddiqui to burn the shops in Boultan Market following powerful explosion on Ashura in 2009.
Siddiqui, who was MQM’s Karachi Tanzeemi Committee (KTC) in-charge at that time, was declared a proclaimed offender (PO) by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on November 4, 2015, in the cases related to financing and instigating terrorism in Karachi. Siddiqui, who served as KTC In-charge during 2009-2013, left for abroad when he was sacked by the MQM.
On December 27, 2009, a powerful bomb had ripped through the traditional mourning procession organised by the Shia community in Karachi, killing at least 45 citizens and wounding hundreds. The blast had taken place near Denso Hall and triggered a stampede. In the commotion and confusion that followed the blast, many miscreants had emerged from by-lanes and started torching shops in Boultan Market.
Per details, Muhammad Imran confessed before the JIT that they had been directed by the then KTC In-charge Hammad Siddiqui to set ablaze shops and push-charts of Pakhtuns located around East House.
Recalling the scene, Imran told JIT that on December 27, 2009, he, along with his aides Rajab, Dildaar, Zakir, Sultan Mehmood Tajwani, Abid, Rehan, Saleem and Farhan alias Veer Jee, had installed a camp of refreshment in front of Dilpasand Sweets.
“We closed our camp immediately and run away towards MQM Sector Office in Baloch Park where Hammad Siddiqui and Rizwan Arain were already present. Siddiqui called MQM Unit 27 In-charge of that time Mubashir and joint in-charge Kamran and ordered to burn shops of Pakhtuns,” Imran maintained.
“I was MQM Unit 27 Committee Member. I took Kamran alias Badshah, Kamran alias Kala, Mubashir, Zaheer Abbas, Farooque and Saleem alias Gold and headed towards Light House. When we reached there, we saw that a team of MQM had already set shops in the market on fire,” Imran recalled.
However, police in its note against his confessional statement claimed that terrorists associated with Jundullah were already booked in cases 1493/2009 under section 302, 324, 427, 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and 1494/2009 under section 147, 148, 149, 435, 427 and section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) registered in the Preedy police station and both the cases are pending in courts.
Police maintained that Imran and his accomplices were involved in the incidents of arson on Ashura and cases were registered against them. Police recommended to check record of others police stations to ensure arrest of others, who as per confessional statement of Imran, were involved in burning markets.
Ajmal Pahari, a MQM activist arrested by Crime Investigation Department (CID) in connection with killing of more than 100 people, before a joint interrogation team (JIT) earlier claimed they were assigned by their higher-ups to prepare a team of over 100 men to torch shops following a blast two days before.
