KARACHI: The Sindh police have decided to take Interpol’s help in the arrest of a Karachi cop murder suspect, who managed to escape abroad on Tuesday.

“The killer of Shaheed Abdul Rehman will be arrested from anywhere,” DIG South Irfan Baloch told Aaj News on Wednesday. “We have contacted the FIA for the arrest of the suspect.”

The police have declared the suspect, Khurram Nisar, as “most wanted”. He used a Swedish passport for immigration and departed for Sweden via Istanbul by an international flight on Tuesday.

Constable Rehman, who belonged to the Shaheen Force, was hit on the right side of his temple in an “exchange of fire” with the suspect in Karachi’s Defence Phase V area. Shaheen Force was formed in September to combat street crime. Members of the squad patrol areas with a high incidence of street crimes.

The accused was apparently trying to kidnap a woman in his car when the Shaheen Force man, Abdul Rehman, who was patrolling in the area, arrived there. According to DIG South Irfan Baloch, the accused was a resident of Defense Phase V where he killed the policeman.

The police officials and an FIR registered after the death of the policeman stated that the motorist — who had returned from Sweden and is said to be the son of a former deputy commissioner — was trying to kidnap a woman.

The police would issue red warrants for the suspect, Baloch said, adding that they have written a letter to the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports. The DIG added that the Pakistani passport of the accused would also be cancelled.

“Wherever Khurram Nisar goes, his criminal status will blink,” he said as the details of his Pakistani passport would be available with the Swedish passport.

The police have also decided to write a letter to the Foreign Office through the Swedish consul general. Moreover, the elements that helped the accused to escape would also be dealt with as Nisar’s close relatives apparently helped him in leaving the country.

Baloch said that a complete investigation was being conducted related to the incident.

The police have so far claimed to raid the suspect’s house and seized the vehicle involved in the incident. Three to four more guns have been recovered from the car which apparently includes the weapon used in the attack.

Rehman, one of eleven siblings, was set to tie the knot next month.

Case registered

The first information report of the incident has been registered under sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 302 (punishment of qatl-i-amd) of the Pakistan Penal Code and section (punishment for acts of terrorism) 7 of the ATA. The case has been registered at the Clifton police station.

The post-mortem of the body was carried out at the Jinnah hospital. Rahman was shot in the right side of the temple and a part of the bullet got stuck in his head.

The detailed statement of the martyred official’s fellow constable is also part of the FIR. “On November 21, my duty was with police constable Abdur Rehman,” Constable Aminul Haq said. They were patrolling in the jurisdiction of Darkhshan Police Station from 6pm to 2am.

“When we reached Khayabn-e-Shamsheer adjacent to 26th Street Signal, DHA Phase V at 11:30, a car passed by us at speed. We heard a woman’s scream from the vechile. On this, Abdur Rehman, who was riding the bike, chased the car,” he said.

The car was stopped in Clifton Block IV near Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine. “Rehman ran and sat in the car. In the confusion, the woman who this, the woman in the car ran away,” it said, adding that the car driver drove the car to the street on the left and from there turned right from the Abdullah Shah Ghazi Chowrangi and reached 26th Street where the Ideal Bakery is located.

There, the driver stopped the vehicle outside the offices of a real estate developer. Constable Amin arrived on his bike. There was a heated exchange between Rehman and the driver and they stepped out of the vehicle. It was at this point that the driver fired. Rehman also fired in “self defence” but the bullet from the driver hit Rehman on the right side of his head. He fell down while the driver got back in his car and fled the scene.

Brother-in-law, driver arrested for abetment

Police say they have arrested the suspect’s brother-in-law and driver, who helped him get to the airport and flee the country.

The video of the brother-in-law, identified as Aamir, is doing the rounds on social media in which he says that Nisar contacted him late and told him that he had to leave the country immediately.

Initially, according to Aamir, the Nisar came to his hotel. “A waiter or manager informed me about his arrival,” he says before adding that he doesn’t remember clearly.

Nisar then told him that he had to leave the country as he had had an altercation with someone.

“I thought it might be some minor matter. He also had some enmities so I thought it could be that,” he says in the video.

He then says that Aamir contacted him next and told him that he was at a petrol pump and that Aamir should get his ticket. “He told me that he had to leave the country in either case and was just leaving it sooner.”

Aamir says that he told him that he couldn’t book the ticket and headed to the airport. “Nisar wanted to go to Dubai.”

District South SSP Asad Raza told Aaj Digital confirmed the arrest to Aaj News. He added that the suspect had questionable record in both Pakistan and Sweden. “He also seemed drunk.”