Former army officer killed in Karachi

Two passersby also get wounded in firing; outlawed group claims responsibility

KARACHI: A former military man was gunned down in Karachi on Wednesday morning in a targeted attack later claimed by an outlawed militant group.

According to police, two assailants – who were riding a motorcycle – opened fire on 65-year-old Tahir Zia – a former lieutenant colonel of the Pakistan Army – as soon as he got off his car in a neighborhood close to the city’s Baloch Colony flyover.

“Zia received four bullets – two on his face and as many on his chest – killing him on the spot,” said a police official, SP Dr Fahd. “Two passersby, who were identified as 35-year-old Momin Khan and 25-year-old Rehan, also got wounded in the attack,” he added.

The official said the assailants had apparently recced the area and were possibly following the retired army man from his residence in Defence Housing Authority.

Video: Ex Col Tahir Nagi, 50, shot dead near Baloch Colony #Karachi pic.twitter.com/aoMwjTRMUg

— خالد (@khalid_pk) April 5, 2017

He said a 9mm pistol was used in the attack, adding that police had collected three bullet casings from the crime scene. “The empties will be sent for forensic examination after which we will be able to determine whether or not the same weapon had been used earlier,” he said.

The official said the investigators were collecting footage from the CCTV cameras installed near the crime scene and on the route that the deceased followed on the fateful day. “In one of the footages, already available, the assailants are seen fleeing but their faces were unclear,” he added.



Dr Fahd said Zia ran a preparatory institute close to the place where he was killed. “At the institute, aspirants wanting to join armed forces were given classes to prepare for the tests,” he added.

The attack was later claimed by outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) al-Aalmi. In a statement posted on social media, the terror group said the attack was carried out by ‘special commandos’ belonging to outfit’s Aafia Brigade.

The same group had also claimed responsibility for the recent killing of an Ahmadiyya Jamaat leader in Nankana Sahib as well as other attacks on security forces and police across the country.

Talking about the LeJ’s claim, Dr Fahd said its veracity was also being cross-checked by investigators. Meanwhile an FIR of the crime was registered on the complaint of the deceased’s brother.