Notorious MQM hit-man remanded into 20-day police custody

F.P. Report

KARACHI: An anti Terrorism court in Karachi on Tuesday remanded alleged target killer belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Raees Mama, into police remand for 20 days.

Mama was handed over to Korangi Police on Monday night after being formally arrested at Jinnah International airport on his return to Karachi through Interpol. According to reports Mama was arrested by Interpol in December last year but documentation took three months for his deportation to Pakistan.

Mama has been accused of killing innocent people on May 12, 2007 besides opening fire at fully loaded passenger buss in Chakra Goth. He has also been accused of opening firing at Sindh Mohabat rally besides several other incidents of target killing and murders.

Mama had been close aide of Hammad Siddiqui, former in-charge of the Karachi Tanzeemi Committee of the MQM and main accused of the Baldia factory fire which took life of mover than 250 poor laborers. Mama had fled to Malaysia after the operation was started in Karachi. Mama has also reportedly been close with former Mayor Mustafa Kamal and his partner Anees Qaimkhani, who had been pleading innocence of Hammad Siddiqui.

Mama after formally arrested from airport was presented in the anti terrorism court on Tuesday where the case’s investigation officer submitted that the information from the accused has led to the recovery of arms and ammunition from the Eidgah Ground.

“Among the objects unearthed were three Kalashnikov rifles, a 9mm grenade and bullets,” the investigation officer informed the judge.

The police official said that Raees is involved in dozens of cases, although his arrest was made on charges of providing refuge to terrorists in MQM headquarters, commonly known as Nine Zero.

The court granted the police Raees’ 20-day remand and asked for a progress report to be submitted in the next hearing.

A section of media reported in December last year that Interpol had arrested Raees Mama in Malaysia.