Two wings of Karachi police clash over custody of suspects

Two wings of Karachi police clash over custody of suspects.

Key points

• Imtiaz Ali Published October 15, 2026 Updated October 15, 2026 09: 32am.
• Imtiaz Ali is a Karachi-based reporter for Dawn with over 25 years of experience in the field.
• The District Central police managed to obtain the custody of the four suspects and brought them to the Taimuria police station.
• SIU authorities intervened in District Central police sting operation to arrest suspected kidnappers, sources say City police chief orders inquiry.
• Four suspects arrived at the restaurant, and the investigators were waiting for their fifth accomplice to arrive to arrest the entire gang.

Imtiaz Ali Published October 15, 2026 Updated October 15, 2026 09: 32am. Join our Whatsapp Channel.

KARACHI: Authorities on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into a public confrontation between personnel of two wings of Karachi police over the custody of four suspected kidnappers in North Nazimabad on Tuesday night.

Notably, a brief statement remarked Karachi police chief Azad Khan took notice of what it described as a "tussle" between District Central police and the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and directed South DIG Syed Asad Raza to conduct a detailed inquiry.

While the statement did not contain any details regarding the "tussle", residents of District Central witnessed an open display of firearms, exchange of gunfire and physical confrontation between the two police units over the custody of four suspects who had allegedly kidnapped a trader.

Police sources informed Dawn that the trader. This person was travelling with his minor son in his car, was kidnapped on Monday within the jurisdiction of the Taimuria police station and the abductors dropped off the boy.

They drove him through a number of areas for three to four hours, using different roads and routes, withdrew cash from ATMs using the trader's bank cards and afterwards published him.

As the Taimuria police registered a case, district Central investigators arrested the alleged mastermind on Tuesday afternoon and during interrogation at a police station, he disclosed the names of his accomplices, the sources remarked.

As part of their strategy, the investigators, led by the Shadman DSP, brought the alleged mastermind to a restaurant in North Nazimabad and asked him to call his accomplices there. Four suspects arrived at the restaurant, and the investigators were waiting for their fifth accomplice to arrive to arrest the entire gang.

In the meantime, some men in plain clothes arrived at the restaurant in a car and tried to take away the suspects without realising that a sting operation was underway. They were intercepted by District Central police personnel. The men in plain clothes identified themselves as SIU authorities and refused to hand over custody of the four suspects.

Notably, a scuffle broke out between the two police teams and apparently the SIU personnel called in extra members of their unit. The confrontation escalated on the main road and they exchanged gunfire. It triggered fear and panic among residents.

In practice, the Nazimabad SHO and his team arrived at the scene and persuaded both sides to move to the police station rather than continue fighting on the road.

Discussions between District Central police and SIU office-holders continued for around two hours and the two sides agreed that their senior officers would "settle" the matter of the custody of the suspects.

According to The sources, the Shadman DSP and two members of his team were allegedly taken by SIU personnel to their office in Saddar, where they were reportedly manhandled.

While District Central police contended that the SIU authorities had arrived under "suspicious circumstances" without informing the local police, they remarked the SIU maintained that its personnel had traced and arrested the suspects with the assist of technology.

Meanwhile, the District Central police managed to obtain the custody of the four suspects and brought them to the Taimuria police station.

According to the police statement, the Karachi police asked the South DIG to ascertain all aspects of the incident, record statements of the police authorities concerned, assess all available evidence and submit a report. Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2026.

Imtiaz Ali is a Karachi-based reporter for Dawn with over 25 years of experience in the field. His reporting portfolio encompasses crime, politics, and the provincial legislature, alongside coverage of the courts, administration affairs, and the health sector.

Taken together, the developments around two wings of Karachi police clash over custody of suspects point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.