Sectarian violence: One dies, one wounded in targeted attack

Police hunt for injured attackers.

KARACHI:

A leader of the Pasban-e-Jaferia was shot dead and another member of the party was wounded in an attack in Gulshan-e-Iqbal on Saturday evening.

The incident took place when 40-year-old Askari Raza accompanied by Ali Mehdi, 28, was riding in his car near the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Chowrangi. Police said the two armed men riding a motorcycle came close to their Honda City bearing registration number AQK-010 and opened indiscriminate fire. The attackers were also injured when two other men accompanying Askari Raza fired in retaliation, said the police officials adding that they, however, managed to escape.

The victims were taken to a private hospital near National Stadium where Raza died after some time. Ali Mehdi was shot in the leg and was undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Shia leaders and scholars condemned the incident and blamed the rival religious group for the attack.  Allama Abbas Kumaili said that the law enforcement agencies have failed to eliminate criminal elements involved in the target killings of Shias.

Askari Raza lives in an apartment near Gulistan-e-Jauhar Morr while Ali Mehdi is a resident of New Rizvia Society.

DSP Agha Jamil said that the victims were on their way to Abbas Town when they were attacked. The police was looking for the wounded attackers in city’s hospitals. No case was, however, registered till the filing of the story.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2012.