Senior Pak minister shot his wife dead then committed suicide: Police

Karachi: A senior minister in Pakistan’s Sindh province, whose bullet-riddled body was found in his house along with that of his wife, first killed her and then used the same weapon to commit suicide, police said Saturday.

Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, 71, and his former lawmaker wife, Fariha Razzaq were found lying in a pool of blood in the bedroom in their posh Defence Housing Authority residence here Friday. According to police, both were shot dead at close range.

An initial post-mortem report suggests Bijarani killed his wife before committing suicide, the deputy inspector general police, South Zone Karachi said in a statement.

“On the basis of available crime scene or circumstantial evidence and initial post-mortem report, it appears that Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani killed his wife and then committed suicide with the same weapon,” the statement said.

The examination of the crime scene and dead bodies indicated that the death was caused by firearms, the DIG said, adding that Bijarani received one gunshot in the head while his wife three bullets — one on head and two on abdomen.

“According to initial forensic/ballistic report of Forensic Science Laboratory, all the empty bullet casings collected from the crime scene has been fired from the same weapon,” the statement added.

During the initial investigations, police secured the crime scene and photographed properly, also the DVR of CCTV cameras installed at the house has been seized, the DIG said.

“Relevant evidence” – blood samples, bullet empties, fingerprints – were as also collected from the scene.

While police are yet to ascertain the reason behind the deaths, they had interviewed six individuals – including two police guards and four domestic servants – in which it was revealed that the couple was having altercations over the past few days.

The house was locked from inside and the door was forcibly opened by Bijarani’s son and servants, the statement said.