Another Spanner in BB Murder Probe

Shahanshah Khalid aka Khalid Shahanshah was gunned down today in front of his house in Defense Society, Karachi, by some one or some people who wanted to see him dead.

He was one of Benazir's personal body guards. In fact, he was her chief security officer. After her death, Zardari made him his own personal body guard - also chief of Bilawal House Security. The deceased was also one of Zardari's close friends.

Supposedly, he was going to be a key witness in the UN probe. Some quarters suspect he was involved or knew too much. But this cannot be independently verified.

An Asia Times online story connected him with the Dawood Company (D-company).

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/EJ22Df07.html

Either Shahanshah's foes, albeit competitiors, took him out in order to settle old scores or he knew something - probably too much to become a threat to some one or to an organization. Therefpre, the need to be dumped!

Some say it was a turf battle. Others, that his killing is related to underground real estate affairs.

Shahanshah's buddy Munawwar Suharwardy was also taken out in a similar fashion. Munawwar was also Benazir's personal body guard. Both were Karachiites, Muhajirs. Both had intermittent clashes with the MQM hit squads. That does not mean MQM took these PPP Karachi Jiyalas out. Investigations into Munawwar's killing remain incomplete or complete but unpublicized.

Shahanshah's targeted killing has all the ingredients of a sinister plan. The government owned Suzuki used in the incident was conveniently recovered within hours of the incident, suggesting it may have been an immature attempt by the perpetrators to send the hounds in the wrong chase.

Too much is at stake for many in Karachi, both for the present and the future players. The elementary Sherlock Holmes formula of pointing finger towards the most beneficiary with the motive for killing Shahanshah may not hold true in this case. It is complex - a new "great game" may be in the offing to destabilize Karachi - thus Pakistan, some say.

Shahanshah's name also appears in Raja Anwar's book "The Terrorist Prince"on Murtaza Bhutto. It is a good reading.

By the way, I received an email yesterday that says the following about Murtaza Bhutto's murder case:

"Last night at a wedding a very senior government officer narrated to me a strange story.

He said that he has seen a Supreme Court document, which is a decision on the application of ASP Shahid Hayat who was one of the accused in the Murtaza Bhutto case. His application to the Court filed on July 6th stated that he was an accused in the murder of Murtaza Bhutto and was suspended for two years. Therefore besides claiming benefits for the missing years (he was paid his emoluments) he requested that his service may be extended beyond the age of retirement for two years also.

The Dogar Court under the unofficial direction of Mr Zardari has given the decision in favor of ASP Shahid Hayat on July 13th that is within 7 days of his application. My source says that the decision was given (not announced) with instructions that it should not be released to the media. He says he has read the decision which was brought to him by another officer who is going to plead his case along the same lines (basically loss of income…..not salary but all those under the counter benefits).

I have no way of confirming this yet but am circulating this with the request that people stretch their antennas and look for some confirmation from other sources."