KARACHI – Police have arrested Farhan Ghani, the brother of Sindh Labour Minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Saeed Ghani, in connection with a violent assault on a government worker earlier this week.
Farhan, along with several alleged accomplices, was taken into custody after a case was filed under sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). The FIR includes grave charges such as attempted murder, criminal intimidation, and assault.
The Incident: Attack Over Fiber Optic Project Work
According to the complaint filed at Ferozabad Police Station, the incident occurred on August 22 while Hafiz Sohail, a government employee, was supervising the installation of fiber optic cables near Shahrah-e-Faisal.
Sohail alleged that three vehicles carrying 20 to 25 armed men arrived on the scene. The group, reportedly led by Farhan Ghani and associates identified as Qamaruddin, Shakeel Chandio, Sikandar, and Roohan, demanded that he halt the project despite being shown official permits.
The FIR claims that several men pointed weapons at Sohail, dragged him to a nearby petrol station, and beat him before locking him inside a room. Police later intervened, rescuing the victim and moving him to safety.
Case Registered Under Anti-Terrorism Law
Karachi police confirmed that the case has been registered under ATA provisions, signaling the severity of the allegations. Authorities say the use of firearms, threats, and organized force against a government official warranted terrorism-related charges.
Farhan Ghani and the other suspects are currently in custody, and investigators are gathering evidence, including CCTV footage from the petrol station.
Political Sensitivity
The arrest comes with political overtones, as Farhan is the brother of a senior PPP leader and sitting Sindh minister. Saeed Ghani has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the case.
Observers note that such high-profile arrests often carry political implications in Karachi, where tensions between state institutions, political parties, and contractors frequently erupt over development projects and land disputes.
Police say further questioning of the suspects is under way and more arrests could follow as the investigation unfolds.
