On December 3, Karachi police reported that they had killed two alleged dacoits, Bilawal and Naqqash, during a robbery at Mubarak Shah’s residence in Orangi Town. However, locals and family claimed that the young men were wrongfully killed in a staged encounter.
An in-depth investigation revealed a complex plot involving three women closely related to the homeowner. Sabira, Mubarak Shah’s niece, Munnaza, a home tutor for Shah’s children, and Munnaza’s sister Laiba orchestrated the robbery.
According to the findings, Laiba convinced her boyfriend Bilawal and his friend Naqqash to carry out the robbery. They entered the home disguised as women in burqas.
The situation escalated when a local shopkeeper, suspicious of their unusual footwear, alerted the homeowner and the police, leading to the fatal encounter. The investigative report, however, has cast serious doubts on the police’s version of events. It highlighted discrepancies in the number of bullets fired and questioned the presence of a hostage as initially claimed by the police.
Evidence Contradicts Police Claims
The tight confines of the incident scene failed to support the police’s claim that someone fired 19 bullets. Additionally, video evidence refuted the assertion that a girl was held hostage on the roof during the incident. The investigation also uncovered that Bilawal and Laiba had been in a relationship for three years and were experiencing financial difficulties. Laiba confessed to giving Bilawal two burqas, supposedly for making TikTok videos, which they later used in the robbery.
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The report uncovered frequent communications between Munnaza, Laiba, Sabira, and Bilawal before the robbery, implicating them in the planning. Both Munza and Laiba attempted to erase their phone data post-incident. The ongoing connections among all parties involved suggest a premeditated conspiracy rather than a random act of crime.
Given the numerous inconsistencies and unresolved questions, the inquiry committee has recommended the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to conduct a more thorough investigation into the alleged fake encounter in Orangi Town.
