Police officer accused of gangster Arshad Papu’s killing arrested

Karachi: Police and paramilitary rangers on Sunday arrested a man who was wanted in relation to the murder of Arshad Papu, a notorious gangster who was brutally killed along with his brother and another man.

Former police officer Javed Baluch was arrested during the morning crackdown in Lyari on the hideout of Baba Ladla, another kingpin of Lyari who could not be arrested.

However, a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the criminal’s den including submachine guns, dozens of high calibre pistols, hand grenades, and improvised bombs made with tennis balls.

Details of the arrest, one of the key developments in the ongoing operation, were revealed by police and rangers at a joint press conference at the football stadium adjacent to Lyari.

Baluch, hooded and with hands tied in front, was brought out for the media at the press conference. The weapons were also exhibited.

The accused was in charge of Baghdadi police station at the time Papu was murdered and is said to have played a crucial role in the murder. Papu had been slaughtered and his body cut into pieces. The killers then played football with his head before burning the pieces of his body and flushing them down the drain.

Baluch had been suspended from his duties when his name had first popped up as an accused.

Senior police officer Faisal Bashir told the media that the operation was carried out based on an intelligence report.

Many suspected contract killers, criminals, extortionists are on the run ever since the operation was launched earlier this month on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.