Two women among five shot dead in separate incidents

Darakhshan police arrest transporter for killing sister at DHA home to 'protect family honour'

KARACHI:

At least five people, including two women, were killed and six injured in separate incidents of firing overnight in different areas of the metropolitan city.

Police have cracked the mystery of death of a young woman in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in the night between Saturday and Sunday. It turned out that 25-year-old Safia, daughter of Ghazi Khan, was allegedly shot dead by her brother to "protect family honour."

The incident happened at a house located on Khayaban-e-Halal, DHA, Phase-7, within the limits of Darakhshan police station. At the time, the family told police that Safia died when a handgun his brother, Hakeem Khan, was cleaning accidentally went off. The family refused to pursue any legal action.

However, Clifton SP Ahmad Chaudhry told The Express Tribune that they took Khan into custody because they had doubts about the statement. During preliminary investigation, Khan revealed the truth, confessing that he had killed his sister Safia to "save family honour."

Following his confession, police formally took Khan, who is transporter by profession, into custody and recovered a licensed handgun from his possession.

Two men were shot dead at a PSO petrol pump in Gulshan-e-Surjani. The bodies were shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities. The victims were identified as 40-year-old Naseem Javed, son of Khurshid Ahmed, and 56-year-old Babar Tanveer, son of Tanveer Ahmed, were residents of North Nazimabad, Block H.

A nephew of Javed said that his deceased uncle was a businessman and owned more than 15 milk shops across the city, including in Surjani Town, North Nazimabad, and Lyari. He would visit one area every week to collect cash from his shops, he added.

On the night between Saturday and Sunday, he along with his friend Babar Tanveer was returning home after collecting money from five milk shops located in Khuda Ki Basti when armed men opened fire on him after failing to intercept him. As a result, Javed received two bullets in the chest while his friend Babar received one bullet in the chest which proved fatal.

After receiving the tragic news, several milkmen and relatives of the victims reached the spot where the victims lay in a pool of blood. Police handed over the bodies to the heirs after completing legal formalities.

In another incident, a woman was shot dead inside her house located in Hazara Colony, Baldia Town. The body was shifted to the Civil Hospital. A police spokesperson said that the victim has been identified as 32-year-old Noreen Bibi, wife of Sherdad.

Police say that Noreen was shot dead allegedly by her brother-in-law Rafaqat. Police recovered a handgun from the crime scene and collected other evidences from the house. The family claims that Rafaqat is mentally not stable.

Police arrested Rafaqat in a raid on a house in the area. They say that the accused is a drugs addict and that he had shot dead his sister-in-law while he was under the influence of alcohol.

A third incident, a man was killed by firing during a wedding ceremony in Memon Goth, Malir 15 area of Saudabad. The body was shifted to the Jinnah Hospital. A police spokesperson identified the victim as 23-year-old Arsalan, son of Shahid. Police are investigating the incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2023.