Former head of Pakistan's Special Services Group Killed

Ex-SSG chief gunned down in Islamabad
The News, November 20, 2008
By Shakeel Anjum

ISLAMABAD: Major General (retd) Ameer Faisal Alvi, former head of Special Services Group (SSG), was gunned down in PWD Colony in Sector O-9 of the federal capital along with his driver as he left his house for office on Wednesday morning. Some sources termed the assassination revenge for the operation in the tribal areas where the officer commanded his SSG unit till 2006. Colonel Raza, a family friend of General Alvi, told The News that the former general had been receiving threatening calls from the Taliban for the last three months and the terrorists had even inscribed a death message on the outer wall of his house a few days back.

The sensitive intelligence agency denied the point of view that it could be revenge killing for the Lal Masjid operation saying the general retired in 2006, before the Lal Masjid operation. However, they said that the motive behind the killing of former SSG chief was not immediately clear. “General Alvi commanded the Special Services Group in its covert operations against militants in the tribal regions,” the sources admitted.

“General Alvi commanded the operation in the tribal areas against Taliban for the release of Chinese engineers in 2006 before his retirement,” the sources added. “The militants linked to Taliban and al-Qaeda have targeted top army leaders and security officials, but it was unclear whether they were involved in today’s incident,” a senior police officer said.

At about 9.30am, two bike-riding youths, escorting a black Pajero jeep carrying three gunmen, intercepted the general’s car as it slowed down at a speed-breaker in front of Tradex Mega Mall (a departmental store) and opened indiscriminate firing from both sides, eyewitnesses said. They said they saw three young men — a bike rider and two others in the jeep — pumping bullets into the body of General Alvi and his driver without fear. They completed their task within 30 seconds and fled the scene towards the Islamabad Highway after making sure the victims were dead, they added. The witnesses said that the former SSG chief was seen fallen on the rear seat of the car while the driver was lying face down on the steering wheel.

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Also See:
Who killed Gen Alvi? - By Amir Mir
Former SSG commander shot dead near Capital - Daily Times
Top Pakistan ex-commando killed - BBC