Sheikh Amer Hassan, the designer and host of many of those social starry nights, was found dead in his apartment on Saturday morning. The man who loved to have his pictures spread out on the weekend tabloids would never have thought that his last would be the one attached with his obituary.

The news of his shocking murder hadn’t hit the headlines before it began doing the rounds of the closely knit fashion industry, shocking people out of their beds, much too early on a Saturday morning. People had just met him a night before at another designer’s home; others had seen him merrily dancing at a post fashion show party a night before. Other designers – who would rarely associate themselves with him as friends – were left speechless with the news. He wasn’t the most loved figure – his controversial lifestyle actually kept more people at bay than those who actually associated with him. But no one would wish such a death even on an enemy.

If you knew Amer and would like to offer your condolences or would like to voice your opinion on this tragic incident, please join the Facebook community created by Amer’s friends. Click Here.

As much as we hate to be graphic about this murder, we feel it is obligatory to talk about it as much as we can. This might lead the way towards justice… -Samina Amjad

Read on to know exactly what happened (Courtesy of thenews.com.pk)

Sallis Bin Perwaiz (The News)

The bullet-riddled, tortured body of Sheikh Amer Hassan, the world renowned Pakistani designer, was found early Saturday morning inside his house in Clifton police jurisdiction. He was apparently brutally tortured, after which four bullets were fired into his head.

The police said that a case was lodged on the complaint of Hassan’s brother Jalal Hassan Sheikh. The victim lived in Sheikh Villa, a building situated in Lane-3, Zamzama Street. His body was found on the mezzanine floor of the building. Hassan was single.

His driver-cum-servant, Tariq, said that he had been working with the deceased for the past many months and lived on the top floor of the building along with another servant. Hassan lived on the ground floor.

On Friday night, Hassan returned from work about 10:30 pm and told Tariq to not stay up because he would return home late from a party. He, however, told Tariq to wake him up around 10 a.m. the following (Saturday) morning because he had an early meeting.

Hassan came home at 3 am and went to sleep. At 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Tariq came to wake him up, and knocked at the door. On failing to get any response, he opened the door which incidentally had not been bolted on the inside. There being a power outage, he could not see clearly.

However, on further search, he found Hassan lying dead under the bed. His hands and feet were tied. Tariq said that he immediately ran outside the house and called Faisal, a close friend of Hassan’s, to inform him about the murder. Faisal immediately reached the house and called the local police who started conducting legal formalities.

The Investigating Officer present at the scene said that while reviewing the scene of the crime, it seemed that three or four criminals were involved, who after barging into the house, had some dispute with the deceased and after overpowering him, tied his hands, legs, and neck with the telephone wire.

Ostensibly, the deceased shouted or resisted whereby the killers stuffed his mouth with a piece of cloth and then shot him four times in the head before fleeing. The officer maintained that during the course of the investigation, it was disclosed that the deceased was going out with a girl. The two had had a fight four days earlier outside Hassan’s house, but the dispute was resolved by friends.

SSP Clifton Town Azad Khan said that the deceased went to a party in Defence on Friday night, and returned home around 3:30 or 4 a.m. Some friends reportedly dropped him off.

SSP Khan further said that nothing was broken or damaged inside Hassan’s room, but the criminals had taken away the victim’s wallet and cellphone. The police collected fingerprints from glasses and other equipment.

The SSP maintained that the criminals had also taken away the empty cartridges of the bullets fired so as not to leave any evidence.

Hassan’s family currently lives in Lahore. After hearing of the murder, his brother, Jalal, came over from Multan to take his body. The post-mortem has been conducted and further investigations are under way.

Source: Skoop

Here’s what Jang News reported later:

Two brothers arrested for Amer Hasan’s murder
Mystery of the missing cell phone still unsolved

Thursday, September 04, 2008
By Salis bin Perwaiz

Karachi

The Investigation staff of South Zone-I has arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the murder of fashion designer Sheikh Amer Hasan. While the two men have admitted to the murder, they claimed, however, that they had not taken Hasan’s cellphone, which the police said was also missing from the crime scene.

Hasan’s bullet-riddled body, bearing torture marks was found from his house in Clifton on August 30. The accused in the murder, identified as Ameer Hamza and his younger brother Saad, claimed that they had killed Hasan for allegedly drugging and then raping Hamza, the police said. The weapon used in the murder was also recovered. Saad and Hamza reportedly took Hasan’s wallet and some pictures along with them after the murder.

Earlier, SSP Investigation South-Zone Shahid Hayat Khan had said that the police had taken fingerprints from valuables inside the room where the murder took place, and had contacted authorities concerned to furnish Hasan’s cell phone data. The police had also recorded the statements of both of Hasan’s servants, as well as that of Faisal, a close friend of the deceased. Two showbiz personalities, Gia Ali and Ali Saleem, were also interviewed and had their fingerprints taken.

While reviewing Hasan’s cellphone data, the police found that persistent calls had been made to the victim from one specific phone number, SSP Khan said. Hasan had received the last call and an SMS on his cell phone from the same number at about 4:45am August 30. The police traced the number to a man identified as Ameer Hamza and took him into custody for interrogation.

Hamza had, however, said during initial investigations that he had sold his SIM to someone else a year ago. He was released then, but the police had kept an eye on him. When he tried to flee, they arrested him again.

Hamza, a resident of PECHS and a student of B.Com., said that he was a permanent resident of Multan and had come to Karachi some years ago, along with his brother, Saad, for higher studies. The brothers belong to the ‘Awan’ caste. Their father is a landlord and transporter.

During interrogation, Hamza said that he met Hasan three years ago at a function in FTC. Hasan had offered to induct Hamza for modelling and gave him his email address and cell phone number. Hamza said that he could not meet Hasan after that due to the latter’s busy schedule. The two, however, continued to correspond via email.

On August 2, Hasan reportedly called Hamza up on his cellphone and said that he may have some modelling offers for him. He also asked him to stay in touch via cellphone. The two met on August 2 (for the first time after the FTC function).

On August 29, Hamza called Hasan up on his cellphone, but the latter said that he was at a party in Defence at the moment and would talk to him later. Hasan then called Hamza up around 3.00 a.m. and told him to come over to his house.

When Hamza went to Hasan’s house, he found that the latter was alone. Hasan offered him some juice, and Hamza said that he lost consciousness after drinking it. During this time, he claims he was raped by Hasan. He further said that Hasan tried to force himself on to him a second time when he regained consciousness, but Hamza resisted and fled.

He said that he went home and narrated the whole story to his brother Saad. They decided to get revenge for the rape. Hamza sent a text message to Hasan, apologising for running away. He said he was willing to do whatever Hasan wanted. He got an immediate reply. Hasan asked him to come over to his house, and said that he would wait for him at the gate. The brothers picked up a gun and left for Hasan’s house.

Hamza said that as soon as Hasan opened the door, the two brothers overpowered him and took him to his room. Saad cut the telephone wire and the two tied Hasan up. The latter shouted for help and begged for his life, “but we were angry,” Hamza said. They stuffed his mouth with a piece of cloth to muffle his cries, shot at him twice, and killed him.

He said that they took Hasan’s wallet and pictures from the house and fled with the empty cartridges of the used bullets. The two brothers, however, claimed to have not touched Hasan’s cellphone. Hamza said that he set the wallet on fire owing to fear of arrest.

Meanwhile, investigators said that Hasan’s cellphone records showed that Gia Ali had left a message in his voicemail around 12:20 a.m. She spoke about some deal which had been finalised, and that she would need Hasan’s cellphone. She said they had to meet the man (with whom “the deal” had been finalised) the same night.

Further probe is under way.