Karachi police have arrested two suspects, including the cousin of Zain-ul-Abideen, a young man who had returned from Saudi Arabia to visit his family, in connection with his murder. His body was recovered from a deserted garbage-dumping site in the Steel Town area on Friday, October 16, according to police.
Zain-ul-Abideen worked as a tailor in Saudi Arabia and had recently returned to Karachi to spend time with his parents. His father told investigators that his son left home on a motorcycle on October 14 but did not return. After searching for him without success, the family registered a kidnapping case at Steel Town Police Station.
According to the victim’s father, the family later received telephone calls from individuals claiming to have abducted his son and demanding Rs700,000 in ransom. The family reportedly took the demanded amount to the location specified by the callers, but nobody arrived to collect it. The suspects allegedly left the victim’s slippers and mobile phone outside the family home and threatened to kill him, prompting further concern about his whereabouts.
During the investigation, police recovered a severed hand from a location identified during the inquiry. The remains were sent for DNA testing to help establish the victim’s identity. Investigators subsequently arrested Faisal, the victim’s cousin, and another suspect. Police said the suspects led them to the location where Zain-ul-Abideen’s body had been dumped inside a sack in the Bin Qasim and Chhatri Ground area.
SSP Malir confirmed the arrests and the recovery of the body on the suspects’ identification. Police said Faisal allegedly confessed to the killing during interrogation. However, the allegations remain subject to further investigation, and forensic findings are still awaited.
Preliminary investigation findings reportedly point to a personal dispute involving a woman as a possible motive. Investigators suspect an argument occurred while Zain-ul-Abideen was with Faisal and a woman, allegedly after the victim objected to a video being recorded. Faisal is accused of attacking him during the confrontation. Police also suspect that the severed hand, ransom calls and threats were intended to make the incident appear to be a kidnapping for ransom. These details remain allegations under investigation.
The victim’s body was shifted to a hospital for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death. Police are awaiting DNA analysis and other forensic results while examining evidence collected from relevant locations. Further raids are reportedly underway to locate another suspected accomplice, and investigators are working to establish the sequence of events and determine whether additional individuals were involved.
Saudi Returnee Zain-ul-Abideen Murdered in Karachi, Cousin Among Two Arrested
