Rangers on Monday arrested Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Co-ordination Committee's Deputy Convener Shahid Pasha in a predawn raid at his residence in Gulistan-e-Johar here. A paramilitary spokesman said the accused was involved in target killings and other crimes. He was produced before Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) on the same day which handed over the accused to Rangers on 90-day remand, the spokesman added. Rangers' law officer said Shahid Pasha was arrested on intelligence reports.
He has allegedly been directly involved in target killings. Charges have also been levelled against him for supervising militant wing and supplying arms". Pasha was made deputy convener of the MQM Rabita Committee a year ago, and is believed to be an important figure in MQM's organisational structure. MQM leaders Nadeem Nusrat and Wasay Jalil strongly condemned the arrest of their party fellow.
Pasha was arrested days after senior MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar accused the Rangers and police of forcing the party jail inmates to change their loyalties. Addressing a press conference he had said, "Our prisoners in four barracks of the central jail are going through agony. They are being subjected to state force".