The assassination of Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) DSP Ali Raza, claimed by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Monday, has presented challenges for investigators, as reported on Tuesday.
Forensic analysis of bullet casings found at the crime scene indicated that the murder weapon, a previously unused pistol, complicates the case. Despite the TTP’s claims, another unknown group, Al-Fajr, purportedly also took responsibility via social media, which authorities have dismissed as non-existent.
DSP Raza was fatally shot by gunmen on a motorcycle in his former neighborhood of Shakeel Corporation, Karimabad. While DIG-CTD Asif Ejaz Shaikh expressed doubts about verifying the TTP’s claim, the focus of the investigation has shifted to obtaining CCTV footage to identify the perpetrators.
Raja Umar Khattab, a senior CTD official, noted that the bullet casings did not match any from previous incidents.
No FIR had been filed as of late Sunday, with police awaiting action from Raza’s family. The slain officer’s funeral was conducted at the Central Police Office, attended by high-ranking officials and his family.
Following the ceremony, he was interred at the Wadi-e-Hussain graveyard. Amid these developments, authorities continued to explore various motives for the murder, including sectarian links and Raza’s past confrontations with criminal gangs and the TTP.
