A Pakistani police team investigating the murder of journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad has detained a man whose mobile SIM card was allegedly used for communicating with the slain reporter.
Khadim Hussain, 35, was detained during a raid in Srishta Nashaib, 18 km from Layyah in Punjab province, on Friday evening, the Dawn newspaper today, quoting its sources as saying.
An uncle of Hussain, Ghulam Akbar, said men wearing plainclothes introduced themselves as personnel of Islamabad Police and said the SIM card registered in Hussain’s name had been used to communicate with Shahzad.
Mr. Akbar said his family was not sure about the identity of the raiding team.
They informed the local police, who ordered a general alert in the area.
The raiding police team was intercepted by policemen at a picket on the Multan—Mianwali Road.
Sub-Inspector Javed Hussain of Islamabad Police, the leader of the raiding team, lodged a report with local police and formally arrested Hussain under provisions of the Explosives Act and Pakistan Penal Code.
Assistant Superintendent of Islamabad Police, Khalil Ahmed, went to Layyah yesterday with the record of the case.
Hussain was produced before Magistrate Khuda Yar with the record.
