KARACHI: The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) shooting case took a new turn after the girl, who was accompanying 19-year-old Intezar Ahmed when he was gunned down last week, recorded her statement with police.
Investigating officials told media that they have included the girl in investigations of the case. They said the girl told them she was with Intezar in his car, when the shooting took place late Saturday.
According to police, the girl said, “We got two burgers and then we saw one of Intezar’s friends, whom he shook hands with.”
“Shortly afterwards, a car came in front of ours, followed by the arrival of another car and a motorcycle. Our vehicle was stopped and a few individuals peeked inside,” officials quoted the girl, whose identity has not been revealed, as saying.
She further said, “The man, who peeked into their vehicle, made some gesture, after which the vehicle behind their car moved a little backwards. I inquired Intezar what is happening, but he didn’t say anything. When Intezar moved his car forward, the firing began.”
“I kept asking Intezar what’s happening, but he didn’t reply and the car came to a halt after a bullet hit Intezar,” the girls told investigators.
The girl maintains that she did not see the attackers.
In her initial statement, the same girl had stated that the shooting was so intense that she could not see catch a glimpse of the person who opened fire on their vehicle.
Initial reports suggested that the girl was a friend of deceased, Intezar, and left the scene after the shooting in a rickshaw.
Intezar Ahmed, 19, was killed after Anti Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) officers opened fire on his car on Khayaban-e-Ittehad road of the upscale DHA area late Saturday.
CCTV video of the murder
Earlier in the day, father of the deceased teenager said that he had no faith in the police investigation after he was shown the CCTV video of his son’s killing.
Speaking to media, Intezar’s father said he had seen the CCTV video of the shooting that claimed his son’s life adding that the shooters took aim and fired at his son.
He said that there was a girl sitting inside the vehicle but he does not know who she was, and demanded that she be brought to light.
“That girl is the eye-witness of this murder,” the father stated, adding that he was not shown the complete footage, but only of the shooting.
“The police is involved in my son’s murder,” the father said adding, “why isn’t the girl in the video being brought forth?”
According to the important development in the case, officials stated that the two officials opened fire on the vehicle by an official weapon from both sides.
On Monday, DIG South Azad Khan had told journalists that police got the CCTV footage of the incident and all the policemen involved had been arrested.
Narrating what he saw in the CCTV footage, Intezar’s father Ishtiaq Ahmed told Geo News that his son’s car was forced to stop by a black coloured vehicle. After Intezar stopped his car another vehicle approached his car from the left side. The first (black) car gave a suspicious signal to the second vehicle, the father said, after which men in civilian clothes on motorbikes arrived on the scene.
One of the men opened fire on Intezar, the deceased teenager’s father said. He added that while this happened someone else kept firing into the air from the left.
Earlier on Tuesday, the medico-legal officer’s (MLO) report was released which confirmed that Interzar died from a single bullet wound behind his ear.
The report also disclosed that other than the aforementioned body part, there was no mark of a bullet or torture on the body of the deceased.
Judicial inquiry ordered
Chief Minister Sindh, Murad Ali Shah has ordered a judicial inquiry into the murder of Intezar.
During a conversation with Intezar’s father, the chief minister said an inquiry would be conducted according to the family’s wishes.
Cannot call it pre-meditated murder as yet: DIG South
Deputy Inspector General South Azad Khan while speaking to media, said that the investigation is underway and it will be before time to say anything with finality.
While responding to a question regarding the presence of an SSP’s guards among the policemen who opened fire, he said that the SSP’s guards shouldn’t have been present at that time and the police is investigating his stance in the matter.
At the mention of judicial inquiry, he said that the decision is welcomed as it will ensure transparency of the investigation.
While responding to a question, Khan said that it cannot be yet established if the murder was pre-meditated, adding that the parents of the deceased boy will be included at every part of the investigation.
Nothing will be hidden and the case is being investigated from every angle as it includes Section 302, said the DIG South.
Regarding the eyewitness who remained unscathed in the incident, the DIG said that due to her being an eye witness it was imperative to save her identity.
