QUETTA: Quetta Police have successfully traced and apprehended five suspects, including two alleged recce agents, involved in the high-profile murder of Kabul Jan Restaurant owner Muhammad Hashim Noorzai.
Law enforcement personnel also recovered the murder weapon following disclosures made by the detainees.
Addressing a press conference, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Quetta Imran Shaukat revealed that the complex case was solved using advanced scientific forensics, CCTV footage, mobile phone records, and technical intelligence.
Cold-Blooded Execution and Monetary Dispute
DIG Imran Shaukat stated that the investigation exposed a deep-seated financial dispute involving approximately Rs 160 million between the victim and the suspects.
The primary accused, Hikmatullah Noorzai, confessed during interrogation that he had planned the assassination alongside his brother, Saadullah Noorzai, following severe business disagreements.
Describing the day of the incident, the DIG noted that Hikmatullah and three accomplices intercepted Hashim Noorzai’s vehicle.
Hikmatullah opened indiscriminate fire on the car, subsequently stepping out of his own vehicle to shoot the victim at close range to ensure he did not survive.
Deception and the Fugitive Brother
The police disclosed that while five suspects—including recce operatives Meera Khan and Dilawar Khan—are in custody, the central co-conspirator, Saadullah Noorzai, remains at large.
In a calculated move to deflect suspicion, Saadullah actively participated in the victim’s funeral, attended the condolence gatherings, and even joined the public protest sit-ins staged by the aggrieved family.
Investigators successfully tracked the plot by tracing a black Vigo vehicle used by the suspects, which was consistently spotted at the crime scene, the protest site, the cemetery, and the condolence venue.
Saadullah managed to flee just as police closing in on his residence grew imminent, and raids are underway to ensure his arrest.
A Tragic End to Friendship
Characterizing the incident as a tragic case of “friend turning against friend,” DIG Shaukat lamented that years of camaraderie were destroyed by financial greed.
He lauded the swift performance of the Quetta Police investigative team, the Special Investigation Unit, and technical experts for resolving a case that had gripped the city with fear.
The arrested suspects face charges of murder and criminal conspiracy as further legal proceedings continue.
