Prime Suspect Taifi Butt Arrested in Dubai in Ameer Balaj Tipu Murder Case

Lahore: In a major breakthrough, the prime suspect in the murder of Ameer Balaj Tipu, identified as Khawaja Tareef Gulshan alias Taifi Butt, has been arrested from Dubai with the assistance of Interpol, police confirmed on Saturday.

According to Punjab Police officials, a special team carried out the operation in coordination with Interpol. The legal process to extradite Taifi Butt to Pakistan is currently underway, and he will soon be transferred to Lahore for further investigation.

Sources said that after the killing of Ameer Balaj Tipu, Taifi Butt had fled abroad and remained in hiding for months. His cousin and co-accused, Khawaja Aqeel alias Gogi Butt, has already obtained interim bail in the same case.

Earlier in August, a Lahore court had extended Gogi Butt’s pre-arrest bail until September 1 and directed him to cooperate with the police. The case is being investigated at Chung Police Station, where the original FIR was filed.

The incident occurred on February 19, 2024, when Ameer Balaj Tipu, son of Arif Ameer alias Tipu Truckanwala, was shot dead during a wedding ceremony in the Chung area of Lahore. According to police, Balaj Tipu was targeted by an armed assailant and later died from his injuries. Three others were injured in the attack, while the gunman was killed in retaliatory firing.

Investigations later revealed that Taifi Butt fled from Karachi shortly after the murder, while Gogi Butt stayed in Lahore. Both were declared proclaimed offenders by police.

A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report concluded that Gogi Butt and Taifi Butt had jointly planned the murder and maintained contact before and after the incident. The JIT declared Gogi Butt guilty and recommended that his bail be cancelled.

Officials say the arrest of Taifi Butt marks an important development in one of Lahore’s most high-profile gang-related murder cases. They believe his extradition to Pakistan could lead to key revelations about the city’s underworld networks and ongoing turf rivalries.