Police arrest suspects in journalist Hassan Zeb's murder

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 24 July 2024 |  JP Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD—The police claim to have resolved the mystery surrounding the murder of journalist Malik Hassan Zeb, who was gunned down in broad daylight in Akbarpura Bazaar in Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on July 14.

According to The News, the District Police Officer (DPO) Azhar Khan stated that unidentified armed motorcyclists had shot dead Malik Hassan Zeb, a reporter for Daily Aaj.

"As the journalist, along with his brother Anwar Zeb, reached their shop in Akbarpura Bazaar, unidentified masked bike riders opened indiscriminate fire on Malik Hassan Zeb," said Azhar Khan. "He sustained multiple bullet injuries and died on the way to the hospital."

The provincial government and Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan took notice of the case, which was investigated using modern techniques to apprehend the killers, according to Khan.

Three investigation teams were constituted to probe the incident from various angles, including the journalist's domestic and business affairs, and the possibility of terrorism. The teams were led by Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Alamzeb Khan, with Deputy Superintendent of Police Pabbi Circle Jawad Khan and Akbarpura Police Station House Officer Niaz Muhammad as members.

The police collected evidence, including ten empty shells from the crime scene, CCTV footage, geo-fencing data, and mobile data of the slain journalist, and sent them for forensic testing.

DPO Azhar Khan revealed that the slain journalist had strained relations with the brothers of his first wife and had a dispute over money for a plot with Muhammad Ashfaq.

The investigation team arrested Muhammad Ashfaq and his son Yasir, who divulged the details of the crime. Ashfaq told the police that he had purchased a plot of land from Hassan Zeb and still owed some payment. He alleged that Hassan Zeb first beat him up and then detained him at the hujra of Lal Sher in Peshawar for a few days.

Ashfaq's son Muhammad Zohaib, a clerk at an academy in Risalpur, was also allegedly beaten and taken to Lal Sher's residence. The father and son were released after property dealer Naeem intervened. Ashfaq accused the slain journalist of violating the sanctity of chadar and chaardiwari (privacy).

Anwar Zeb, the brother of the slain journalist, nominated Muhammad Ashfaq, his son Muhammad Zohaib, and an unidentified person for the murder in the court of Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate-I, Liaqat Khan Mohmand. SP (Investigation) Alamzeb Khan stated that raids are being conducted to apprehend the accused nominated in the murder.