Karachi violence: The killing confessions of a century maker

Usman Manzoor
ISLAMABAD: The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report on Ajmal Pahari submitted to the Supreme Court reveals that Pahari had confessed to killing over 111 people in the last 24 years on the instructions of high-ups.

The MQM has, however, questioned the authenticity of the JIT report on Ajmal Pahari and former city nazim of Karachi Mustafa Kamal claimed that Pahari had confessed everything under duress. "Any person questioned by a joint investigation team would even confess to plotting the 9/11 attacks within two hours. Ajmal Pehari also confessed committing all crimes which he never committed," Kamal said at a press conference.

The chief justice of Pakistan during the hearing of suo moto case into the Karachi killings however said the investigation report on Ajmal Pahari was an eye-opener.

The JIT bearing no. SO (Le-I) /3-16-2010-/2010 dated 31-03-2011 says that the investigation was carried out by ISI, MI, IB, Pakistan Rangers Sindh, Karachi police, Special Branch and CID Karachi and Pahari confessed to have received training in India and had killed 53 persons from 1986 to 2000 and 58 others between 2005 to 2011.

The JIT report says that Ajmal Pahari remained in judicial custody twice, once in 1989 for one year for possessing illicit weapon and then in 2000 when he was arrested by CIA and was challaned under murder case and was released on bail in 2005.

He revealed that instruction of target killing had been given from London Secretariat; from 90 in Pakistan and from South Africa. He said he along with Zeeshan PIB Wala on the directions of London went to Singapore in 1996. "From there I went to India for training", the JIT report quoted Pahari as saying.

Below is the summary of Pahari's long tales of murders between 1986 to 2000: He murdered ASI Arif Shah. He along with Qamar Tedi shot dead a person named Shani a worker of MQM Haqeeqi; Killed two PPP workers Asghar Pakistani and Yaseen of Orangi Town at Qatar hospital. This task was given from London. He along with other companions attacked Pak Colony Sector Office of MQM-Haqeeqi and killed 14 workers. He also killed Haqeeqi worker Jamal.

"After police encounter of Farooq Dada in 1995, I with Siddique Bucha, Asif Zaidi, Saeed Nigro, Moin @ Meno and Dilawar abducted National coach from Orangi Town No. 1 and took it to Allah Wala College Orangi Town. There were 20/25 people sitting at that time in that coach. We separated 12 Punjabi passengers and opened fire with Kalshankov. After that Siddique Bucha drove that coach and parked it in the ground near college. That was the reaction of the death of Farooq Dada", Pahari confessed before the JIT.

In 1995 he killed a Bengali on doubt of being a police informer. He also shot dead Iqbal Mama, incharge of PPP Orangi Town, and also killed one Abid, a suspended worker of MQM-A. In 1995 Pahari attacked bullet-proof police convoy and killed two policemen and injured one. One Najmi Pan Wala also fell prey to his bullets on doubt of police informer.

He said in 1996 workers of MQM-A were being killed. He with other members killed three workers of MQM-H on the instruction from London. In 1998 he also attacked on Bait-ul-Hamza to kill Chairman Afaq Ahmad of MQM-H but due to the resistance he failed but managed to kill two Haqeeqi workers. This order was given from London. In 2000 he killed Iqbal Raid, a lawyer of PML-Nawaz group, upon instructions from London.

After 2005 Pahari killed 58 persons details of whom is given below: "In 2006 I ordered Naeem Mullan who killed 6 workers of MQM-H in Ranchore Line, Lyari. Upon his orders two more Haqeeqi workers were killed in 2006. He killed Imran Pajer upon suspicion of joining under world the same year. He was ordered by the high command to kill Junaid @ Ahtisham, a senior member of MQM-A, because he was working against the wishes of the party. He killed him at Jangirabad, Nazimabad. Ahtisham accompanied Pahari in killing many people. One Muhammad Asif Khan of MQM-H was also killed by him upon instructions from high command.

He also killed Rehan Ali Khan in 2008 at Sector 5E New Karachi. "I and my team killed Muhammad Munawer because of his affiliation with MQM-H." In 2006/2007 he ordered to murder two workers of MQM-H at Pak Colony.

In 2006/07 he gave task to Ghani who killed four MQM-H workers at PIB Colony. Similarly in 2007 upon his orders Mani and Shani killed four more MQM-H workers at Gulistan-e-Johar. One Badar Iqbal was also shot dead upon his instructions in 2007/08. In Liaquatabad, Waseem Boss killed three Haqeeqi workers upon the instructions of Ajmal Pahari. During the same period three more Haqeeqi workers were killed by Zubair Orangi Town Wala upon Pahari's orders. "In 2008 upon my instructions Imtiaz Commando and his team killed five workers of MQM-H at New Karachi", JIT report quoted Pahari as saying.

Another worker of Haqeeqi was killed upon his instruction in 2008-09. He said in 2010 November, He had been given the task from Pakistan to kill Aftab Malik, Chairman Behari Qaumi Moment. "I gave the task to Naushad and Manzoor and their team killed him on 26 November, 2010."

When Shias had been killed at Golimar then he, Saeed Bharam, Imtiaz Commando were called and asked who was behind these murders on which they said that there may be Zeeshan Siraj of Sipah-e-Sihaba Pakistan behind these murders. Then this task was given to Naushad who kidnapped him. Naushad was planning to kidnap Zeeshan Siraj meanwhile Kalam Ullah and Niaz of MQM-A Qasba Ali Ghar Sector with their team killed Zeeshan Siraj.

In 2006 he was given a list of 20 MQM-A workers who were doubted to be working with under world don Shoaib Khan. He and his team killed all of them. Muhammad Arif, Muhammad Shafiq, Muhammad Shahzad, M Iran Khan and Tariq Zeeshan of MQM-H were also killed by Ajmal Pahari. Another man was kidnapped and killed by him and his body was packed in a sack because they doubted he was an informer. Aslam Sheikh, an MQM-A worker was killed by him for not working with the party. One Abdul Qayum was killed for being affiliated with Omar Goga Group. He killed one unknown person upon orders to kill people. In April 2010 he planned to kill Afaq Ahmad upon his possible release but the release was delayed.