After a decade-long search, Ijaz Asghar, a fugitive wanted in connection with a murder case, has been arrested in Saudi Arabia and transferred to Islamabad.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), in collaboration with Interpol, successfully tracked him down, culminating in his capture. Ijaz Asghar had been on the run since 2014, when a murder case was filed against him at the Tarkhani police station in Faisalabad, according to Express News.
Following the crime, he fled the country, prompting the FIA to issue a red notice for his arrest. His apprehension was made possible through effective coordination between Interpol offices in Islamabad and Riyadh.
Read More: Delivery man murdered over iPhone during routine job in Lucknow
Upon his arrival in Islamabad, immigration officials handed Asghar over to the Punjab police. A spokesperson for the FIA noted that the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Interpol, equipped with advanced technology, maintains a continuous global communication network to facilitate the arrest of fugitives.
In a separate case, on September 3, Punjab Police arrested an ‘A-category’ wanted accused in a murder case after 16 years. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), NCB, Interpol, and immigration authorities apprehended Fahad Mahmood at Lahore airport.
The FIA and Interpol had been tracking Mahmood for years, employing various strategies to locate him. His evasion of law enforcement took him across borders, complicating the efforts to bring him to justice. Fahad Mahmood was labelled an ‘A-category’ wanted criminal due to the severity of the murder charge against him.
His lengthy disappearance had left authorities frustrated, but their commitment to locating and apprehending him never wavered. In 2008, the murder of Sufyan in Gujranwala sent shockwaves through the local community, prompting an urgent investigation.
The case drew significant media attention, and investigators worked tirelessly to gather evidence and track down the perpetrator. Authorities learned that Mahmood had fled the country soon after the incident, using illegal means to escape scrutiny.
The arrest of Mahmood marked a significant milestone for the Punjab Police as they focused on apprehending high-profile criminals residing abroad. With 67 proclaimed offenders apprehended in 2024 alone, the Special Operations Cell’s strategy proved effective in targeting fugitives who believed they could evade justice indefinitely.
Mahmood’s successful capture reinforced the resolve of law enforcement agencies in Pakistan to hold criminals accountable, regardless of how long they had been on the run.
