At least 10 more men, including four political activists, were gunned down in drive-by shootings across the city. Two Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists and one each from the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) and the Awami National Party (ANP), were among the dead.
MQM’s Noman Bukhari, who used to be a councillor for UC No. 4, was shot and killed by unidentified armed men within the Khokhrapar police precincts, late Friday night. SHO Shafqat Chandio said that Bukhari was working as an activist in the Malir sector and was associated with Malir Unit 99. The funeral prayers were offered at a mosque near Khokhrapar, and the victim was laid to rest at the Airport graveyard. SHO Chandio said that the police was waiting for the family to register the case.
Unidentified persons also set a passenger bus, bearing registration number PE-5548, on fire in Khokhrapar.
In another purported case of target killing, 27-year-old Abdullah Ansari was shot dead in Golden Ground, Malir. MQM-H spokesman Feroz Haider claimed party affiliation with the deceased and condemned the incident, demanding the arrest of the culprits. SHO Chandio said that the deceased was returning home from Landhi with two fellow activists when Ansari was targeted. The deceased’s companions are now missing and the police fear that they may have been kidnapped.
“What can I do when a target killing wave hits my area?” asked the SHO. “If the activists were kidnapped, they must have been killed by now and we have to find their bodies.” The deceased used to run a bangles shop in Lea Market. No case had been registered until the filing of this report.
Another MQM activist, 35-year-old Ayub Raja, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting by unidentified armed men in Liaquatabad police precincts. He was a resident of New Karachi, a member of the MQM New Karachi sector and ran a paint shop near Daak Khana Chowrangi. One of his companions, Warsi, was also wounded in the incident. The deceased and injured were moved to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities. The police said that he was shot at least five times by a .30 bore pistol. Tension prevailed in Liaquatabad and New Karachi where aerial firing suspended commercial activities. However, Naveed Khawaja said that the deceased had no link with the party and was killed over a personal enmity.
In another case, Najeeb Ahmed, affiliated with the ANP, was killed in a shooting in Sherpao Colony within the remits of Quaidabad police station. ANP spokesperson Qadir Khan said that Ahmed was a security guard of ANP District Malir chief security officer Jamal Khan Afridi. The deceased hailed from Peshawar and his body was taken to his hometown for the burial process. The police have registered FIR No. 173/11 on Afridi’s behalf, against the unidentified men.
Separately, 23-year-old Imran was shot dead near Shah Faisal River within the limits of Sharafi Goth police station. The victim was a resident of Korangi No. 3 and was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. SP Nasir Aftab said that no party has claimed the affiliation with the victim and the motive behind the incident has yet to be ascertained.
Separately, a police officer was gunned down within Gulshan-e-Maymar police station limits. Forty-year-old Azam Jhakrani was standing outside his relative’s house in Block-Z, Gulshan-e-Maymar, when unidentified men arrived in a car and opened indiscriminate fire at him. The police said the victim was shot at least six times and died instantly. A passerby named Tariq was injured.
DSP Iftikhar Lodhi told The Express Tribune that the deceased was an assistant sub-inspector and was posted to Jacobabad and was in Karachi to visit his relatives.
Similarly, a Sindh Reserve Police officer was shot dead in Darakshan police station precincts. Asif, 29, was shot once in the head and died shortly after the incident, said the police. He was deployed at Hassan Square police headquarters. The incident occurred when the sub-inspector was taking his family to Seaview. Armed men shot him when he resisted a robbery.
In Nazimabad No. 2, near the Inquiry Office, two armed men on a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire at the teashop, killing the owner, 34-year-old Abdul Wasay. Nadir Khan and Abbas were injured. DSP Sultan Khan said the victim hailed from Quetta.
A young man identified as Ali Ahmed Baloch was gunned down within the jurisdiction of the Gulistan-e-Jauhar police. SHO Asif Jhakrani said the victim used to run a stall in the Saturday Bazaar and the incident occurred when he after packing up and leaving for home.
Elsewhere, a bullet-riddled body was found from Saadi Town. Malir Cantt police said that unidentified culprits killed him somewhere else but dumped his body there. The motive behind the incident has yet to be ascertained.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 17th, 2011.
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