Police submitted the initial report on the murder of the main lawyer Khawaja Shamsul on Friday before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi, identifying eight suspects.
The report, presented before the ATC in the anti-terrorism complex of Karachi central prison, said that the case had been registered on the complaint of the victim’s brother, Khawaja Faisal, under murder, attempted murder and arrangements of the anti-terrorism law.
The Supreme Court’s main lawyer attended the last rites of an agreement after Friday prayers at the Khayaban-E-Rahat academy, when Imran Afridi suspect pulled him near the mosque stairs before fleeing the crowd, police said.
The court ordered their arrest. The fleeing suspects were identified as Imran Afridi, Zarar Afridi, Inam Khan, Usman Afridi, Taqdeer, Bahar Gul, Khasta Gul and Shehryar.
Islam was accompanied by his sons-Khawaja Daniyal-Uul-Islam and Khawaja Hamza-Ul-Islam-as well as a private security guard and a police escort when he was targeted.
The main suspect, Imran Afridi, son of Nabi Gul Afridi, would have benefited from the crowd and opened the fire, while Islam descended the staircase from the mosque. A shot was fired on Islam and another on his son Daniyal.
Read: Renowned lawyer Shamsul Islam killed in Karachi
Hamza precipitated his father and injured brother at South City hospital, where Islam died of the injury. Daniyal was transferred to Aga Khan University Hospital.
The FIR also refers to a previous attack on November 14, 2024, during which Imran Afridi and 15 to 20 armed accomplices attacked Islam. This incident involved shots and physical violence, and was reported to the Clifton police station.
The Sindh Bar Council condemned the murder of the Supreme Court’s main lawyer and announced a boycott across the province of legal proceedings on August 4.
The Vice-President of the Sindh Bar Council, Shafqat Rahim, and the president of the Executive Committee Muhammad Saeed expressed their indignation in the face of the failure of the law enforcement organizations. They said it was deeply regrettable that the designated suspect had not been arrested despite having confessed to the murder.
