Karachi: In a significant turn of events in the high-profile murder case of Karachi’s young Mustafa Amir, the police have successfully obtained the physical remand of the prime suspect, Armughan, after facing considerable challenges.
The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) remanded the youth, accused of murdering Mustafa and disposing of his body, into police custody for four days.
This development followed a directive from the Sindh High Court (SHC), instructing the police to present Armughan before ATC No. 2 to secure his remand, after ATC No. 1 had initially denied it.
The police had faced difficulties in acquiring the remand for interrogation from the trial court, which led them to approach the SHC. The court approved all four applications regarding Armughan’s remand on charges of illegal possession of weapons, kidnapping, murder, and other offenses, while rejecting the previous orders by the ATC. The police were referred to ATC No. 2 for further proceedings.
This case revolves around the alleged kidnapping and murder of a BBA student, Mustafa, who went missing on January 6.
Clash with Police and Discovery of the Body
The case came to light when the prime suspect, Armughan, opened fire at a team from the Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) during a raid at his residence in Karachi’s DHA earlier this month. The police managed to arrest Armughan, but Mustafa’s whereabouts remained unknown until last week, when authorities revealed they had discovered charred remains—believed to be his—in a car near the Hub checkpost days after Mustafa disappeared.
The body was subsequently buried by the Edhi Foundation, but the court has permitted its exhumation for identification and forensic analysis. The Sindh Health Secretary has been instructed to form a medical board for the exhumation and submit a report within seven days.
Medical Board and Report
In compliance with the court’s order, a three-member medical board has been established to exhume the body on February 21 at 9 am. The board, led by Police Surgeon Dr. Sumayya Syed, will also include Additional Police Surgeon Dr. Srichand and MLO Dr. Kamran.
Statements and Investigation of Shiraz
In addition to Armughan, the police have also arrested and recorded the statement of Shiraz Bukhari alias Shavez, who is believed to have worked for Armughan and played a role in both planning the murder and disposing of the body.
An interrogation report has revealed that Shiraz and Armughan were childhood friends who reconnected about a year ago. The report states that Armughan lived alone in a bungalow and operated a call center with 30 to 35 employees.
The Murder Plan and Mustafa’s Distress
According to the report, Armughan had organized a New Year’s Eve party, which Mustafa did not attend. On January 6, the day Mustafa went missing, he summoned Shiraz to Armughan’s residence. However, the meeting turned sour when Armughan began beating Mustafa with sticks and firing two bullets at the wall. Mustafa was injured, and after being threatened, he was taken to Balochistan in his car and burned along with the vehicle.
The report also states that while Shiraz was aware of the events leading to Mustafa’s death, he claimed he was unaware of who was behind the ransom call made to Mustafa’s mother.
