Funeral prayers offered at clifton
The security personnel on Saturday carried out forensic of bullet shell that was recovered from the crime scene where senior journalist Athar Mateen was murdered.
Police sources told that the shell was not matched with any incident reported in the past. Data of suspects involved in motorcycle theft and selling has also been taken, they added.
Earlier, senior journalist Athar Mateen, who was working as a producer in a private news channel, shot dead over trying to save a citizen from robbery bid in North Nazimabad, area of Karachi.
Two robbers were looting a local at gunpoint when, in an attempt to prevent the mugging, Athar Mateen smashed his car into robbers’ bike.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) central told that the robbers opened fire at the producer’s car that resulted in his death on the spot. The suspects fled the scene after robbing another man, he added.
The SSP further told that the police have sealed the area and investigation teams are busy collecting evidence from the crime scene.
He told that gunmen also left their motorbike on the spot over some fault and escaped the scene after snatching another bike from a citizen.
Furthermore, senior producer Athar Mateen’s funeral prayers were offered at Clifton’s Al-Siddiqui mosque at 2pm Saturday and later laid to rest at the Yaseenabad graveyard.
The journalist’s family members, President Arif Alvi and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail were among many who attended it.
Athar was killed Friday morning near the Five Star Chowrangi in Karachi’s North Nazimabad for thwarting a robbery.
Athar’s brother Tariq Mateen has urged the journalist fraternity to stand united against the murder of his brother.
In an interview, earlier in the day, Tariq Mateen held the Sindh government, Rangers and police responsible for the death of his brother and maintained his words to stage a peaceful protest outside the Nazimabad SP Office.
The grieving brother questioned the authorities about the unrest in Karachi due to the rising street crimes.
He accused law enforcement agencies of being involved in the crime. “The robber who shot Athar seemed a trained shooter because he took a single fatal shot.”
Meanwhile, Athar’s relatives, media personalities and politicians reached Tariq’s residence Saturday afternoon ahead of the funeral.
At a press conference after the funeral, Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani said the provincial government does not entirely have the responsibility of transfer and postings in police departments.
Under the new law, postings regarding the SP and ranks above are taken after discussion with the chief minister. “All the other postings, below the SP rank, are made by the police department itself.”
Ghani accepted that crime in the city is on the rise and government has [somehow] failed to control it. “But police have been performing on track and the culprits will be arrested.”
It is not right to single out Karachi as such incidents happen in other parts of the country too, he added.
