One killed, another injured in political workers’ clash

Incident took place on installing party flag in front of opponent group's office

KARACHI:

A clash between the workers of two political parties left one worker dead while another sustained injuries

The clash took place at Nazimabad No. 2 Multi Chowk, when a PPP rally was passing through the area. The participants of the PPP rally tried to place their party flag in front of the MQM Pakistan office. MQM-P workers objected to it as a result both party workers scuffled. In the meantime unknown persons opened indiscriminate fire from vehicles as a result one worker of MQM-P sustained fatal injuries and died while PPP worker sustained injuries.

Later, the charged workers of political parties set two double cabin vehicles on fire and broke the windows of several vehicles. A heavy contingent of police and rangers reached the spot and detained four people on suspicion of firing.

The area was echoed with the gunfire. Heavy contingents of Gulbahar police station reached the scene, however, the firing continued even in the presence of the police. Two people were injured in the firing. One of the injured was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in a private vehicle while the other was taken to hospital in the police mobile.

The police mobile could not leave the area due to heavy firing. Later, the injured was shifted to a Vigo vehicle and taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

Read MQM-P worker killed in clash with PPP in Karachi’s Nazimabad

According to the police, the deceased person was identified as 44-year-old Faraz Ahmed Qureshi son of Ghayyur Ahmed Qureshi, while the injured youth was identified as 25-year-old Rao Muhammad Talha son of Rao Muhammad Saleem. Talha was shifted from the hospital to a private hospital after first aid.

Later, a heavy contingent of Rangers reached the spot, after which the firing stopped. A fire brigade vehicle also reached the spot and extinguished the fire by that time both the vehicles were completely destroyed.

According to the police, the deceased was a resident of Paposh Nagar and in-charge of MQM Pakistan Gulbahar Sector Unit 38, while the injured Rao Muhammad Talha is a PPP worker.

The deceased was buried at the KF graveyard in New Karachi after legal proceedings. The police have arrested four people on suspicion of firing and started the investigations. Police found several shells from the crime scene and sent for forensic tests.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2024.