Representative image for extremists.
Credit: iStock
Karachi: A journalist was killed in Karachi by activists of an extremist Islamist group after he made pro-Israel comments on his televison channel, according to Sindh province home minister.
Four suspected militants were arrested for murdering journalist and anchorperson Imtiaz Mir, who was gunned down on September 21 as he left his office in Malir area of Karachi.
Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjhar claimed on Monday that the slain journalist was targeted because the killers regarded him as an alleged sympathiser of Israel and for his comments.
Inspector General of Sindh Police Ghulam Nabi Memon and city police chief Javed Alam Odho told the media that the four arrested individuals had confessed to carrying out the killing on the orders of their handler who was based outside Pakistan.
“The arrested suspects are 'educated' individuals, and their ringleader is living in a neighbouring country,” Memon said without naming any country.
The suspects were identified as Ajlal Zaidi, Shahab Asghar, Ahsan Abbas and Faraz Ahmed and are said to be associated with 'Lashkar Sarullah,' which is part of the banned Zainabiyoun Brigade.
He said that two federal intelligence agencies had jointly worked with Karachi police during the investigation, and all held suspects had “confessed” their involvement in the murder.
One of the suspects also had a previous criminal record, he added.
IGP Memon said that spent bullet casings recovered from the crime scene in Kala Board, Malir, had matched with pistols seized from the custody of the arrested suspects.