Police on Tuesday apprehended Hassan Shah, the alleged mastermind behind the honey-trapping of renowned playwright Khalilur Rehman Qamar. Shah, along with his accomplice Rafiq, was arrested in Peshawar and subsequently brought to Lahore for further investigation, according to a senior police official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
This arrest follows the earlier detention of a 12-member gang, including Amna Arooj, on July 21. The case took a sensational twist when a video clip surfaced on social media, allegedly showing Qamar with a woman in a compromising situation. Police revealed that the woman and her accomplices had used the video to blackmail Qamar.
Investigations uncovered that Qamar had fabricated a story of robbery and kidnapping to retrieve and destroy the incriminating footage. The Sundar Police Station had registered a case based on Qamar’s complaint of robbery and kidnapping.
In a related development, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) extended the physical remand of Amna Arooj for an additional two days. Police presented Arooj before the court, requesting an extension to recover the ransom amount. When ATC Judge Khalid Arshad inquired about the money’s whereabouts, Arooj indicated that it might be with Hassan Shah or another suspect, Zeeshan.
During the court proceedings, Arooj, visibly distressed, claimed that she was being unjustly treated. She revealed that both Hassan Shah, a property dealer, and Qamar had blackmailed her. Arooj alleged that Shah, whom she considered a brother, had knowledge of Qamar’s blackmail and had leaked a video in which Qamar insisted on a relationship with her. She denied kidnapping Qamar, asserting that the plan was orchestrated by Shah.
A lawyer representing Qamar argued that Arooj had close connections with the other suspects and claimed his client was a pious man. The judge, however, expressed skepticism, remarking, “A pious man usually offers tahajjud (night prayers) at four in the morning.”
Arooj, tearfully recounting her plight, stated that her father was ill, and she had two sisters to support as the sole breadwinner of her family. She lamented the injustice she felt she was suffering and expressed a desire for death due to her dire circumstances.