LAHORE: The murder of the founding member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Dr Shahid Siddique, which shook the victim’s relatives and party, was engineered by his own son, investigation police confirmed on Monday.
An unidentified assailant shot Siddiqui dead outside a mosque after Friday prayer in Lahore’s Valencia Town. His son was also present at the crime scene while the incident took place, but he escaped unharmed.
Police said Qayyum, Dr Siddique’s son, planned his father’s murder with a friend over the victim’s refusal to allow his son to marry a girl of his choice.
Qayyum had made a deal of Rs5 million for killing his father in January for the same reason, said police, adding he paid Rs20 million for the second attack on Siddiqui.
The slain PTI leader is a well-known figure related to the medical fraternity who also owned a private hospital in the area of Johar Town.
Police said a white car was deployed on a recce of Siddiqui, and Qayyum was also in the vehicle. The victim withdrew cash from a bank and distributed it among deserving people on Friday while the car continued to follow him, they said.
They said surveillance camera footage was obtained, wherein Qayyum could be seen recceing with the prime suspect. Police said the son who masterminded the murder led his father’s funeral prayer.
Siddiqui contested the 2002 general elections and remained a senior member of PTI Punjab organization for more than a decade. The PTI leadership has condemned the killing and demanded stern action against the perpetrators.
The police had collected the bullet shells from the crime scene and formed four teams dedicated to apprehending the shooters.
This was not the first murder attempt on him. He was attacked in the Chuhng area in January. Police had failed to find the culprits involved in the incident.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.