Three suspects arrested earlier this week in connection with the murder of prominent Quetta businessman Mohammad Hashim Noorzai have confessed to the killing during interrogation, with investigators saying the crime was motivated by professional jealousy and a bitter business rivalry.
Senior police officials said that the suspects, all residents of Satellite Town, were detained during a targeted operation earlier this week. According to investigators, the men were known to Noorzai, having previously been his business partners. During questioning, they allegedly admitted to planning and executing the fatal attack, claiming they had become resentful of the young entrepreneur’s rapid commercial success and expanding business interests.
Police officials also said that the suspects attended Noorzai’s funeral and later joined the protest staged by his family and members of Quetta’s business community, in an attempt to divert suspicion from themselves while demands for justice intensified.
Investigators confirmed that the breakthrough came after the special investigation team used geofencing, digital surveillance and other forensic techniques to trace the suspects’ movements. Police have also recovered a black vehicle allegedly used in the attack, which officials described as a key piece of evidence. The suspects are expected to be produced before a court after the completion of legal formalities, although authorities have not yet disclosed their identities.
Noorzai, the owner of the well-known Kabul Jan Hotel on Airport Road, was widely known in Quetta’s business community and was also involved in the Afghan transit trade.
The murder took place on the morning of June 27 when Noorzai was driving from Kuchlak to Quetta. According to police, gunmen intercepted his vehicle near the Baleli Bypass and opened fire, killing him at the scene before fleeing.
The murder in broad daylight sparked widespread outrage, with family members and traders staging protests and blocking major roads to demand swift justice. A special police team was subsequently formed, leading to the suspects’ arrest.
