Imtiaz Mir's killing: Suspects make startling revelations about their operations

KARACHI: Four terror suspects, who have reportedly confessed to their involvement in the high-profile target killing of journalist Imtiaz Mir and multiple other murders, have made several key revelations about their group’s operations.

The sensational confessions by the four suspects reportedly belonging to the SAAR Group have revealed a sophisticated, internationally connected network responsible for violence in the city

Key Revelations: Foreign Links and Operating Procedure

The arrested suspects exposed details about the group’s structure, training, and operational protocol:

• Zainebiyoun Brigade Connection: The central suspect, Ijalal Zaidi, was allegedly associated with the Zainebiyoun Brigade since 2011 and is involved in numerous sectarian target killings.
• Foreign Training: Zaidi was reportedly sent to a “neighboring country” three to four times using an illegal border crossing method (“Donkey”) to receive training before returning to Karachi to carry out attacks.
• Remote Command: Targets and assassination orders were allegedly given to the group by an individual located in the neighboring country. The cell would first conduct thorough ‘Reki’ (reconnaissance) before proceeding with the killing.
• Insiders and Logistics: One arrested member, Faraz, was shockingly employed with the City Warden’s department. The suspects also revealed that they were provided with weapons and motorcycles by unknown individuals for each mission, and the network even paid the legal and prison expenses for any arrested member.

Law enforcement agencies are now focused on investigating the foreign contacts and financial support network that sustained the group’s operations.

About the Imtiaz Mir case

The official breakthrough in the murder case of journalist Imtiaz Mir was announced by Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, confirming the arrests of four suspects in a joint operation by Korangi Police and a federal intelligence agency. The arrested individuals were identified as Syed Jalal Zaidi, Shahab, Ahsan Abbas, and Faraz Ahmed. Lanjar revealed that the accused were linked to a banned organization whose leader operates from a “neighboring country.” This international connection is central to the case, as the suspects were reportedly receiving both financial assistance and specific target assignments from handlers based outside of Pakistan.

The investigation directly relates to the attack on journalist Imtiaz Mir, who worked for a private TV channel. Mir was shot and critically injured on September 22, 2025, near the Kala Board area in Malir, Karachi. According to police reports, he was ambushed by a man and a woman riding a motorcycle who opened fire on his car, hitting him in the chest and face before fleeing the scene. The Home Minister stressed that further investigations are ongoing, and authorities anticipate more arrests in the coming days as they work to completely dismantle this internationally supported terror cell.