Abdullah Tahir murder: PTI leader’s driver was honey-trapped

LAHORE: Officials have disclosed progress and fresh details of the murder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Chaudhry Abdullah Tahir in Lahore.

Investigators said that the driver of Abdullah Tahir was hone-trapped by a tiktoker. A woman accomplice of the accused established contact with the driver of the PTI’s leader. “The woman made her first contact with the driver around two months before the murder,” investigation sources said.

“The woman honey-trapped the driver to get information from him,” sources said.

“A video call made between the driver and woman on the day of the crime after Abdullah Tahir reached to the clinic”, officials said. “The accused confirmed presence of their victim at the clinic through the video call”.

“After confirmation of Abdullah Tahir’s presence, the shooters reached at Guru Mangat Road”, according to investigation sources.

Police investigating the murder earlier suggested that the killing was meticulously planned.

Sources said the arrested suspects told investigators that the murder was carried out after extensive planning. They revealed that drones were used to monitor Abdullah Tahir’s movements and identify his location before the attack.

Investigators said a significant amount of money was spent to arrange the drone surveillance. Police are also examining reports of drone activity in the vicinity of the victim’s residence before the murder.

So far, police have detained six people on suspicion of facilitating the murder.

Abdullah Tahir was shot dead on Wednesday while visiting a private clinic in Lahore for a routine medical check-up. Dr Riaz Khan also sustained bullet injuries in the attack.

According to police, two motorcycle-riding gunmen opened indiscriminate fire on Abdullah Tahir in Lahore’s Gulberg area. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and later succumbed to his injuries.

Abdullah Tahir was a prominent political figure from Okara and had contested the 2018 Punjab Assembly elections on a PTI ticket.