A non-verified audio recording circulated online and reported in local media suggests that the police had received a special treatment for Armaghan, the most important suspect in the murder of 23-year-old Mustafa Amir.
The recording, which appeared on Thursday, reportedly has Armaghan’s uncle, Asif Jamil Qureshi, in conversation with a senior police officer.
In the conversation, Qureshi identifies himself as the establishment that is responsible under you Cia Muqadda’s Haider. He claims in the admission that he had personally secured Armaghan’s surrender and stayed with him for two hours in a bungalow prior to his arrest.
The officer assures Qureshi that Armaghan would not be subjected to torture. He recognizes that Armaghan was held in a “good place” because of his uncle’s influence and that the same had been communicated to Armaghan.
The leaked sound also suggests that Qureshi had tried to offer RS500,000 to ensure additional privileges for his nephew.
The officer is heard about rejecting the amount and stating that Armaghan was not a “five-lakh party” and that a prison employee had demanded RS5 million for better conditions in prison.
Officials have not yet commented on the authenticity of the admission.
Mustafa Amir, 23, disappeared from Karachis DHA on January 6, and it took police 39 days to decide he had been murdered. His charred body was later discovered in Balochistan.
Armaghan, an acquaintance of the victim, was arrested on February 8 after a dramatic four-hour standoff where he opened fire against police, injured a DSP and a constable.
The case exposed links to an alleged drug network, especially involving cannabis trade, where both the suspect and victim were reportedly engaged in. The investigation led to a police crash, resulting in the arrest of several individuals, including actor Sajid Hasan’s son, Sarim Hasan.
In the midst of the unfolding investigation, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) was also Nadeem of the Gizri police under control of his alleged ties with the suspect. Authorities revealed that Asi Nadeem had been in communication with Armaghan, which he claimed was related to ongoing investigations. However, suspicions arose that the officer may have helped protect Armaghan from legal consequences in a prior case.
While Asi Nadeem was questioned and later released, officials have stated that further investigations may follow if necessary.
In addition, three police officers were suspended and abolished to abuse the case.
In addition, Sindh High Court (SHC) has also made a decision that the legal custody of the primary suspect Armaghan Qureshi and the formation of a joint investigative team (JIT)-began ordered earlier by the administrative judge of anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) in Karachi was illegal. The court recommended to withdraw the administrative powers from the judge and mark a rare devoted procedural decisions in a case already under intense public control.
Meanwhile, Asif Jamil Qureshi, among eight police officers, was charged with the alleged extracurricular murder of Rasul Bakhsh Brohi, a Worker from Jamshoro, who was reportedly killed in a staged police meeting in Karachi’s Gadap area on July 12, 2006.
After the incident, Brohi was false presented as notorious Dacoit Mashooq Ali Brohi. The case was registered at Sacrand Police Station based on a complaint filed by his widow.
The defendants included senior law enforcement authorities, such as SP Chaudhry Aslam, DSP Irfan Bahadur, Inspector Ishaq Lashari and Inspector Nasirul Hasan with officers Bahauddin Babar, Sarwar Commando, Nazeer Ahmed and Asif Jamil Qureshi.
On July 31, 2008, Sindh High Court (SHC) acquitted, under Justice Khawaja Naveed Ahmed, all eight officers, citing lack of evidence. The order came after the prosecutor’s most important eyewitness could not identify the defendant, which led to the court rejecting the case.
