ATC Issues Arrest Warrants in Targeted Killing Case
KARACHI – Police have identified eight prime suspects in the targeted killing of senior Supreme Court lawyer Khawaja Shamsul Islam and secured arrest warrants against them, according to an initial report submitted to an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday.
The report, filed at the Karachi Central Jail’s ATC complex, was based on a complaint by the victim’s brother, Khawaja Faisal. The case includes charges of murder, attempted murder, and offenses under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Police stated that Islam was gunned down after Friday prayers while attending the funeral rites of an acquaintance at the Quran Academy on Khayaban-e-Rahat. The prime suspect, Imran Afridi, allegedly opened fire near the mosque stairs before disappearing into the crowd. Islam’s sons—Khawaja Daniyal-ul-Islam and Khawaja Hamza-ul-Islam—along with a private security guard and a police escort, were present at the scene.
The eight suspects named in the report are Imran Afridi, Zarar Afridi, Inam Khan, Usman Afridi, Taqdeer, Bahar Gul, Khasta Gul, and Shehryar.
According to investigators, Imran Afridi, son of Nabi Gul Afridi, fired two shots—one hitting Islam and the other his son Daniyal—as they descended the mosque staircase. Hamza rushed both victims to South City Hospital, where Islam was pronounced dead. Daniyal was later transferred to Aga Khan University Hospital.
The FIR also cites a previous attack on November 14, 2024, in which Afridi, along with 15–20 armed men, assaulted Islam with gunfire and physical violence. That case was registered at Clifton Police Station.
The Sindh Bar Council strongly condemned the killing, declaring a province-wide boycott of court proceedings on August 4. Vice Chairperson Shafqat Rahim and Executive Committee Chairman Muhammad Saeed criticize law enforcement agencies, calling it “deeply regrettable” that the main suspect remained free despite reportedly confessing to the crime.
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