The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested the suspected killer of former Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP)¬—now known as the banned Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat—Chief Maulana Azam Tariq at the Islamabad airport in the early hours of Thursday.
The suspect, Sabtain Kazmi, was detained at the Islamabad airport while he was attempting to board a UK-bound flight. Kazmi was wanted for the murder of Azam Tariq; however, his name was not included on the Exit Control List.
Kazmi, a proclaimed offender in case registered under FIR No 119/2003 of PS Golra Islamabad, was wanted for the murder of Maulana Azam Tariq. The government had announced one million rupees bounty on his arrest.
Kazmi was attempting to escape to Manchester, UK, via Doha on Qatar Airline flight no QR633, on a UK resident card.
It is pertinent to mention here that Maulana Azam Tariq was killed in the outskirts of Islamabad in October 2003 on his return from Jhang. He was then a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan.
Following the assassination of the former SSP leader, his supporters went on a rampage in the city and burned down a cinema hall in Melody Market, killing two people inside.
SSP was banned for being a terrorist outfit in 2002. The organisation, which has a sectarian, anti-Shia ideology, is also believed to be linked with the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
According to the late Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, SSP was behind the Gojra riots, while Wikileaks cables identified a number of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan members as having their origins in the SSP.
