Sunni Ittehad leader Tariq Mehboob dies in custody

KARACHI: Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) leader Tariq Mehbood died in custody on Saturday, days after he was arrested by Rangers personnel on allegations of involvement in target-killings in Karachi.

Prison officials said the SIC member, who was also the chief of the Anjuman Naujwanan-i-Islam (ANI), died of a heart attack at the Karachi Central Jail.

But members of Mehboob’s family said they suspected he was tortured in detention, and called his death an extrajudicial killing.

The Sunni Ittehad leader’s body was shifted to a hospital for post-mortem examination, where results of chemical tests are expected to be received in one week.

Mehboob was arrested by the Rangers paramilitary force last week near Yousuf Plaza in Karachi's Federal B area.

On April 17, he was produced before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) where the law officer said Mehboob was involved in heinous crimes and was arrested following necessary investigations. Mehboob denied the charges.

The ATC sent the SIC central leader on a 90-day remand for his alleged involvement in target killings, extortion and other criminal activities.

A spokesman for the Sindh Rangers issued a statement shortly after the death, clarifying that Mehboob did not die in custody of the paramilitary force.

The spokesman said Mehboobn was arrested for involvement in criminal activities and had been sent to jail on April 16 for a 90-day prevention detention.

The spokesman clarified that the death of the SIC leader took place inside the Karachi Central jail and not under Ranger’s custody.