Gunned down: Three friends killed at breakfast, one injured

KARACHI: Three friends were killed in a targeted attack in District Central while a man was shot dead in Lyari on Sunday.

The friends were shot dead when armed motorcyclists opened fire at them in Hussainabad within the limits of Azizabad police station. Another friend of theirs and a hotel employee were also injured in the firing.

They were having breakfast at the Bismillah Lasani Lahore Hotel when the firing happened. They were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where Imran Karim, 27, Sajid alias Mastana and Naveed Anis were pronounced dead. Their friend, Bilal, is being treated for his injuries at the hospital.

Witnesses said that at least four men on two motorcycles were responsible for the attack. "The men were busy having their breakfast at the hotel when the assailants opened fire at them," said the witnesses. "The assailants were four young men but only two of them opened fire at the deceased."

Police officials said that the two of the three people - Imran and Sajid had criminal records. "Basically, these two were expelled from a political party," claimed Azizabad SHO Asimur Rehman. "They were working with extortionists such as Ali and Ghulam Patni." The officer added that the police was looking for the criminal record of the two other men. A case has been filed and an investigation is being carried out.

Separately, an unidentified young man was gunned down in Lyari. Police officials said that unidentified men kidnapped and shot him. The body was moved to Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth for identification after the medico-legal formalities were completed at Civil Hospital, Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2014.