Haleem Adil’s chauffeur found murdered near Super Highway

Unidentified armed assailants shot dead the driver of Sindh Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Haleem Adil Sheikh in Karachi on Wednesday.

Police said the body of 45-year-old Shahnawaz Mallah was found near the Chakar Hotel on the Super Highway within the limits of Site Superhighway Industrial Area police station. It was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

According to police, Mallah was a resident of Janjal Goth in Sohrab Goth and the father of six children. He worked as a chauffeur for Sheikh’s family. On Wednesday morning, he was called to duty at 5am. He left his house on his motorcycle at 4am and a few hours later, his body was found on the roadside.

Police said Mallah was stopped on the way and taken to another location where he was killed by unidentified suspects. His body was dumped near the Chakar Hotel and Khel Ground. His motorcycle was also found at the scene with the helmet and keys still in place.

Police quoted the victim’s family as saying that a day earlier, he had gone to inspect some plots where armed men attacked him and he fired back at them, after which those attackers fled the scene.

Police said they were investigating whether the killing was related to a land dispute. The victim’s brother and son said that on Tuesday, unidentified armed men had attempted to kill him, but he returned home safely. They added that the next morning, he left for duty but was killed.

Mallah also worked as a security guard in Shah Village, but it is unclear whether he was heading to Sheikh’s house or Shah Village when he was murdered. Sheikh also reached the hospital and expressed sorrow over the murder, urging the police to conduct an impartial investigation and bring the culprits to justice. He stated that he was in contact with the victim’s family and police to uncover the facts.

The PTI leader explained that Mallah was shot twice, once in his hand and once in the chest. “The murder of Shahnawaz is a deeply tragic incident,” Sheikh said, adding that he did not want to give the incident a political angle. “No matter who the killers are, the police should arrest them immediately," he said as he remembered the slain man as a brave and honest person. “Shahnawaz’s native village is Sanghar, and his body will be taken there for burial,” said the PTI leader.