Firing incident: MQM worker killed, another injured in targeted attacks

Party blames MQM-Haqiqi, demands justice

KARACHI: A worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was gunned down and another was critically wounded on Friday in targeted attacks in Landhi.

The deceased was identified as Fahad Zaki, while the injured was identified as Kamran. Police said the incident occurred at the Benazir Sports Ground in Landhi, within the limits of the Khokhrapar police station. The victims were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where Zaki succumbed to his injuries during treatment as he was shot multiple times, while Kamran was admitted with critical injuries.

Following the incident, an extra contingent of law enforcers, including Rangers and police, reached the site and collected evidence. Khokhrapar SHO Shahjahan Lashari said “They [armed motorcyclists] first targeted Kamran and then Zaki.”

“Kamran was targeted when he was parking his motorcycle outside his residence, while Zaki was targeted when he was travelling on a motorcycle and both the incidents occurred within a few minutes [of each other].”



Parts of the city, particularly Landhi and Lines Area, have witnessed sporadic violence since the last by-elections in an ongoing rivalry between the MQM and Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H).

The officer said that nothing could be said about MQM-H’s involvement in the attacks as the investigation is still in the preliminary stages, however, no case has been registered as police officials claim to be waiting for the families to register the cases.

MQM reaction

Blaming its rivals for the death of Zaki, the MQM has demanded that his murderers be arrested.

Speaking to the media after Zaki’s funeral on Friday, leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, MQM’s Khawaja Izharul Hassan said they had informed the government about criminals roaming freely in Landhi and Malir but no action had been taken again them.

“Haqiqi terrorists are breaking into houses of our workers and harassing them and now they have started this killing spree,” accused Hassan.

He said that while law enforcement agencies were making sacrifices to ensure that peace prevailed in Karachi, a number of terrorists were disrupting the law and order and instigating violence.

“MQM is a peaceful party and we request the chief justice to take suo motu notice of this incident,” said party leader Aminul Haque.

According to the party, Zaki and Kamran were ‘kidnapped’ by Haqiqi men outside their homes and then killed.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2016.