By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: Police have arrested a man accused of sexually assaulting more than 100 boys over several years, in what authorities described as a major breakthrough in one of the city’s most extensive child abuse investigations.
The suspect, identified as Imran, a puncture repairman from the Manzoor Colony neighborhood, was taken into custody along with an accomplice, Waqas Khan, in the Tipu Sultan area of Karachi. The arrests followed a tip from a victim and came as the pair were allegedly planning another assault, according to police officials.
Superintendent of Police Muhammad Usman Sadozai, who oversees investigations in Karachi’s East district, said DNA evidence had linked Imran to multiple cases spanning six years, with incidents reported between 2020 and 2025. While official records show seven first information reports filed at stations including Sharafi Goth, Zaman Town, Quaidabad Industrial Area, Mehmoodabad and Defence, authorities believe the true number of victims could exceed 100, based on patterns and preliminary findings. “When we examined the letter further, a clear pattern emerged across all seven cases,” Sadozai said, noting that the assaults typically occurred between 6 pm and midnight, often on weekends, with children lured to the banks of the Malir River.
Investigators said Imran used his motorcycle to entice boys aged 10 to 14, taking them to remote spots along the river to commit the crimes. Police employed CCTV footage and geo-fencing technology to track the suspects’ movements, leading to their capture. Three victims have identified the pair so far, and DNA matches confirmed Imran’s involvement in the registered cases, Sadozai added.
Khan, the accomplice, has been connected to one or two incidents, including one where a victim identified both men. The investigation accelerated after the formation of a special team on Jan. 6, led by Deputy Inspector General Muqaddas Haider of the Crime Investigation Agency. The suspects were apprehended within 11 days. All the cases invoke Section 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which addresses unnatural offences, with some including additional charges like kidnapping, criminal intimidation, bodily injury and attempted offenses.
In court on Saturday, Mahmoodabad police presented Imran before a judicial magistrate in the South district, requesting a 14-day physical remand for further questioning. The investigating officer told the court that Imran had admitted during initial interrogation to attempting abuse against multiple children and raised concerns that he might have killed some victims afterward.
The magistrate granted a three-day remand. Police officials acknowledged the challenges in such cases, where fear and stigma often prevent victims from reporting. They urged families to come forward as the inquiry continues.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
