KARACHI: Additional Session Court Quetta has released Tofan Khan, brother of notorious smuggler Haji Sadiq Achakzai and co-accused in the murder of Deputy Collector Dr. Abdul Qudoos Sheikh, on bail.
It may be mentioned here that the court has already granted bail to Haji Sadiq in the FIR of Deputy Collector Abdul Qudoos murder. It has spread a strong wave of disappointment and anger among the Customs hierarchy. Haji Sadiq is still in Customs custody in other FIRs lodged against him.
Senior officers of Pakistan Customs and associations of Customs employees have started contacting each other and proposed that Pakistan Customs Officers Association should approach Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Jawed Bajwa and explain to them the sensitivity of the murder case of Deputy Collector Abdul Qudoos in respect of anti-smuggling campaign.
It is proposed that the PM and COAS should be explained about the interference of politicians including ministers and parliamentarians in the anti-smuggling campaign and lack of support of Police and other law enforcement agencies.
Officials believe the Police did not properly investigate the case and weakened the prosecution. Sources said Abdul Qudoos was attacked while he was returning after seizing a smuggled tiles consignment adding the driver of vehicle had called Haji Sadiq and explained him of the situation in Pashto. Abdul Qudoos did not know Pashto. But, a sepoy along with Abdul Qudoos had listened to the conversation of vehicle’s driver and Haji Sadiq. Later, the sepoy was also killed. Poliuce completely ignored this aspect and the driver of the vehicles carrying smuggled tiles was no investigated at all.
MCC Preventive Karachi had lodged two FIRs against Haji Sadiq, and two MCC Preventive Karachi officers have reached Quetta to take custody of Haji Sadiq to pursue the investigations.
Haji Sadiq Sanjrani is an Afghan official and it is known that he might be given into the custody of a sensitive agency and shifted to Islamabad for further investigations. Haji Sadiq has developed a comprehensive smuggling network across the country and has connections in powerful places.
An official said it had been established that money made from smuggling is used to fund terrorists and anti-social elements, and this aspect needs to be investigated in detail.