Mohammed Aslam (10 April 1963 – 9 January 2014), popularly known as Chaudhry Aslam, was a Pakistani police officer who served in the Sindh Police. He was known for his operations against criminal gangs and militant groups in Karachi. He was killed in a suicide car bombing claimed by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in January 2014.[1]
Early life[edit | edit source]
Aslam was born on 10 April 1963 in Arghushal village, Dhodial, in Mansehra District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. His father, Akram Khan, was an advocate. Aslam belonged to the Swati Pashtun community. After completing his primary education, he moved to Karachi with his father.[2][3]
Police career[edit | edit source]
Aslam joined the Sindh Police on 31 October 1984 as an Assistant Sub-Inspector in Karachi. During his career, he served at several police stations and departments in Karachi and Balochistan.
He became a police inspector and later served as the Station House Officer of Gulbahar police station in 1987. In 1999, he was appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police in Nazimabad. He later served in the Special Branch in Larkana, the Sindh Reserve Police in Sukkur and the Anti-Car Lifting Cell in Karachi. He was promoted to Superintendent of Police in 2005.
In 2010, he was appointed to lead the Anti-Extremism Crime Wing of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).[4]
Aslam led operations against criminal gangs, target killers, extortionists and militant groups in Karachi. These included the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Balochistan Liberation Army, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.[5]
Karachi operations[edit | edit source]
Aslam was known for his involvement in operations against criminal gangs in Karachi. He served as an encounter specialist and later led the Lyari Task Force, which was formed to tackle gang violence in Lyari.[5]
In 2006, he was arrested in connection with the murder of gangster Mushtaq Brohi. He spent 16 months in prison before the Sindh High Court granted him bail in December 2007.
In 2009, allegations were made that Aslam and other police officers had killed gangster Rehman Dakait in a staged encounter. Aslam denied the allegations.[6]
Aslam also led operations during Operation Lyari in 2012, which targeted criminal groups in the area.[5]
2011 attack[edit | edit source]
On 19 September 2011, an explosives-laden vehicle struck Aslam's house in the Defence Housing Authority, Karachi. He survived the attack, but eight people, including his security guards and cook, were killed. The TTP claimed responsibility for the bombing and described it as retaliation for police operations against its members.[5][7]
Assassination[edit | edit source]
On 9 January 2014, Aslam was killed when a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden vehicle into his convoy near the Lyari Expressway in Essa Nagri, Karachi. Two other police officers and members of his security team were also killed. He had reportedly survived several previous assassination attempts.[8]
The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack. A spokesperson for the group said that Aslam had been targeted because of his operations against the Taliban.[9]
A later investigation reported that Aslam's driver and bodyguard had provided information about his movements to the attackers.[10]
Pakistan also alleged that Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav was connected to the assassination. Pakistani authorities released a video in which Jadhav reportedly made statements about the attack. India disputed the allegations and questioned the circumstances surrounding the video.[11]
Reactions[edit | edit source]
Residents of his hometown in Dhodial and Mansehra also mourned his death. His family members and childhood friends remembered him as a brave and friendly person.[12]
In popular culture[edit | edit source]
Biopic[edit | edit source]
A biographical action film titled Chaudhry – The Martyr was announced in 2019 and released in 2022. It was directed by Azeem Sajjad. Aslam was portrayed by his cousin, police officer Chaudhry Tariq Islam.[13]
Indian films[edit | edit source]
Aslam was portrayed by Sanjay Dutt in the Indian films Dhurandhar (2025) and Dhurandhar: The Revenge (2026).[14]
His portrayal in the films received public attention. His wife, Noreen Aslam, criticised the depiction of her husband and warned that she might take legal action.[15]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Bomb kills Pakistan police chief Chaudhry Aslam". BBC News. 9 January 2014.
- ↑ Khan, Nisar Ahmad (10 January 2014). "Ch Aslam does people proud in his hometown". Dawn.
- ↑ "Local hero: Residents observe strike against Ch Aslam's killing". The Express Tribune. 11 January 2014.
- ↑ "Who is Chaudhry Aslam?". The News International. 20 September 2011.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Siddiqui, Salman (19 September 2011). "Profile: For Karachi's mean streets, Chaudhry Aslam is a meaner cop". The Express Tribune.
- ↑ "Profile: Chaudhry Aslam". Dawn. 9 January 2014.
- ↑ Saadat, Suleman (19 September 2011). "Neighbourhood destroyed: 'We thought living next to a police officer would mean we were safer'". The Express Tribune.
- ↑ "Bomb kills Pakistan police chief Chaudhry Aslam". BBC News. 9 January 2014.
- ↑ "Taliban bombing kills senior police officer Chaudhry Aslam". Dawn. 9 January 2014.
- ↑ "Investigation reveals Ch Aslam was betrayed by bodyguard". The News International. 11 March 2017.
- ↑ "Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Pakistan releases another video, claims he filed mercy petition to Chief of Army Staff". Firstpost. 22 June 2017.
- ↑ Khan, Nisar Ahmad (10 January 2014). "Ch Aslam does people proud in his hometown". Dawn.
- ↑ Majeed, Ozair (18 April 2019). "HIP Exclusive: Tariq Islam was the Perfect Choice for Chaudhry, says Azeem Sajjad". HIP in Pakistan.
- ↑ "Dhurandhar trailer: Ranveer Singh promises a 'dhamaka' in Aditya Dhar's blood-stained film based on a true story". The Indian Express. 18 November 2025.
- ↑ "Dhurandhar's Chaudhary Aslam's wife warns of legal action over film portrayal". India Today.