Prime suspect in Azam Tariq murder sent to prison on judicial remand

ISLAMABAD: Prime suspect in murder of Maulana Azam Tariq has been sent to prison on judicial remand.  

The suspect, identified as Sibtain Kazmi, will be presented before the court on Saturday. The decision was made by the new Joint-Investigation Team (JIT), of Islamabad police, formed to probe the case.

The JIT, which is headed by SP Investigation Hassan Iqbal, included DSP Saddar, Crime Investigation Department inspector, SHO Golra and an Intelligence Bureau officer.

Maulana Azam Tariq was shot dead in October 2003 on the outskirts of Islamabad while he was returning from Jhang. He was then a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan.

A case was registered by Tariq’s brother at Golra police station in Islamabad in which Sibtain Kazmi was identified as the prime suspect. Following this, government had announced a reward of Rs1 million for the arrest of Kazmi.

On May 11, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested Kazmi from Islamabad airport, while he was attempting to board a UK-bound flight.

Kazmi's name had also appeared in the first edition of the Islamabad Police Criminal Investigation Department's (CTD) Red Book in 2009.