A close associate of missing Bradford businessman Salman Sabir has confessed to shooting him dead and dumping his body in a river, say police.

Officers investigating the suspected kidnap of 28-year-old Mr Sabir have revealed that a man, described as a close friend, has admitted to killing the husband-to-be to avoid repaying a £10,000 loan.

The suspect was arrested by police in Pakistan on Monday night after Mr Sabir's family lured him to a meeting in Karachi.

He remains in police custody and is expected to be charged with murder and kidnap - which carry a death sentence in Pakistan - within 24 hours.

Police have confirmed they are now searching for Mr Sabir's body.

Mr Sabir, a clothing importer, whose two brothers and fiancee live in Heaton, Bradford, vanished in Karachi on April 21 after arranging a business meeting.

He spent his time between Bradford and Pakistan but had bought a house in Bradford and planned to live here after marrying his fiancee, sales assistant Noreen Akhtar, 27.

Mr Sabir's brother, Ubaid Mughal, 35, said police had told relatives in Pakistan they had arrested a man who had admitted killing his brother, at the garment factory the man owned, on the night he kidnapped him.

Mr Mughal, a freelance journalist, said while there was no body he clung to hope that his brother would still be found alive.

But he added: "Blood was found in the bathroom at the factory where the man said he had shot Salman.

"If the blood matches that of my brother then maybe we have to believe he is dead."

Sharfuddin Memon, of the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee in Karachi, who is leading the police investigation, said the suspect, a man called Imran, had confessed to killing Mr Sabir.

Mr Memon said: "According to Mr Sabir's family, Imran has been a very close friend and had taken a loan from Salman equivalent to £10,000.

"Salman was wanting the money. Imran wasn't able to pay it back.

"He is saying that this is the motive. If he eliminates Salman Sabir he won't have to pay the money."

The police chief said Salman had been taken to Imran's factory, in the Qasbah area of Karachi, at night when no employees were there.

"Salman Sabir got up to go to the washroom and he (Imran) fired from the back with a pistol and killed him.

"Later he wrapped up the body in some cotton waste, put it in the trunk of his car and took it to the Orangi area on the outskirts of Karachi, and threw the body from a bridge into a stream.

"The body has not been found and we are searching for it. We have found evidence in the bathroom to corroborate what he is telling us.

"He is going to be charged within 24 hours with kidnap and murder.

"There will be a trial which should take place in about a month."

Mr Memon said the suspect was identified after police checked numbers on Mr Sabir's mobile phone. He was arrested after he was called by the family to discuss something about Salman.

"He came to meet the family. He was snared," said Mr Memon.

Mr Mughal said the family still thought they would see his brother's smiling face again.

He said: "The news is shocking and unbelievable. Salman was very kind. He would never fight with anyone.

"His fiancee is very upset and refuses to accept she will never see him again.

"Our family in Pakistan is searching for him, or his body. In our country you have to do things for yourself.

"There is no law and order there. This sort of crime happens everywhere there."

Mr Mughal said his brother used to work up to 18 hours a day, but when he visited Bradford a couple of months ago he had told him he was working hard because his life was "very short."

"He said to me: I haven't much time, that's why I work hard.' In my view he was saying he was not going to live long.

"The comment seemed meaningless at the time but now I realise there was something in it."