Three Arrested in Quetta Restaurant Owner Murder; Suspects Joined Protest and Condolence Gathering, Police Say
Quetta: Police in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan have arrested three suspects in the murder of prominent restaurant owner Muhammad Hashim Noorzai, who was shot dead in Quetta last week.
According to police, the arrested men were former business partners of the victim. Preliminary investigations suggest that the killing stemmed from a long-running financial dispute between the parties.
Muhammad Hashim Noorzai was fatally shot in the Baleli area on the outskirts of Quetta while travelling from Kuchlak to the city in his white Toyota Vigo pickup.
The murder sparked widespread protests, with the victim’s family, tribal elders, traders, political activists and members of the public blocking roads and demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible.
A senior Quetta police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told local media that the suspects were close acquaintances and friends of the victim. To avoid suspicion, they allegedly participated in public protests against the killing and also attended the victim’s funeral prayers and condolence gathering.
Investigators expanded the probe using CCTV footage, geofencing data and other digital evidence, leading to the detention of several suspects. Police said the accused initially denied any involvement but later allegedly confessed after being confronted with digital evidence.
The suspects were arrested from the Satellite Town area of Quetta. Investigators found that the black Toyota Vigo allegedly used in the attack had originated from the same neighborhood.
According to police, the suspects changed the vehicle’s registration plates to conceal its identity before the attack and later moved it outside the city after the murder. Efforts are underway to recover the vehicle.
Police also recovered the alleged murder weapon based on information provided by the suspects during the investigation.
CCTV footage released after the attack showed a black Toyota Vigo following the victim’s vehicle before pulling alongside it and opening fire. After the victim’s vehicle came to a stop, the attackers reportedly moved closer and fired additional shots before fleeing toward Quetta. Police said the entire attack lasted about 25 seconds.
Investigators traced the suspects after reviewing surveillance footage, which showed the attackers’ vehicle returning to a house in Satellite Town shortly after the shooting.
Police further revealed that the suspects had allegedly conducted surveillance on Noorzai before carrying out the attack.
Officials said the accused had previously been business partners of the victim, but their relationship deteriorated over financial disagreements. Although the dispute had reportedly been settled temporarily at one stage, tensions between the parties persisted.
Muhammad Hashim Noorzai was a well-known businessman in Quetta. He opened the popular Kabul Jan Restaurant on Airport Road in October last year, and it quickly became one of the city’s best-known dining establishments.
