Lahore: Following an extensive manhunt spanning over a decade and a half, Punjab Police have successfully apprehended Fahad Mehmood, a fugitive wanted for a 2008 murder in Gujranwala, announced the police department on Monday. Mehmod, classified as a Category A offender, had been on the run since the crime, having fled the country using illegal means. His arrest was made at Lahore Airport moments before he could board a flight to Greece.

According to Punjab Police, Fahad Mehmood was involved in the shooting death of a local resident named Sufyan in 2008. After the murder, Mehmood escaped abroad using an illegal migration route commonly referred to as ‘dunki’. While in Greece, he managed to obtain a Pakistani passport. This led the Special Operations Cell of the Punjab Police to issue a red notice and intensify efforts to capture Mehmood. The proclaimed offender was finally arrested on a Sunday night at Lahore Airport by the Gujranwala police, who took him into custody before he could depart for Greece.

The police spokesman highlighted that with the capture of Mehmood, the total number of proclaimed offenders arrested from abroad this year has escalated to 67. Inspector General of Punjab Police, Dr. Usman Anwar, commended the Regional Police Officer (RPO) of Gujranwala and the City Police Officer (CPO) Gujranwala for their roles in the successful apprehension. Dr. Anwar attributed the arrest to the effective strategy employed by the Special Operations Cell and has directed that efforts be accelerated to apprehend other high-risk criminals.

Dr. Anwar’s directives underscore the ongoing commitment of the Punjab Police to curbing criminal activities by ensuring that high-profile fugitives are brought to justice, irrespective of the time elapsed since the commission of their crimes.