Target killings: Nagan Chowrangi paralysed after slaying of four men

Police are still trying to find a motive behind the killings.

KARACHI: The area surrounding Nagan Chowrangi was deserted on Wednesday morning except for the Rangers and police who lined up on the empty streets. Shops and markets didn’t bother to open as four men were shot dead there late on Tuesday night.

A combined funeral was held for three of the victims at Siddique-e-Akbar Masjid after Zuhr prayers. The fourth victim’s funeral prayers were offered at a mosque at UP Morr. Angry relatives and sympathisers of Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat (ASWJ) chanted slogans against the killings and demanded the arrest of the culprits.

This was the first such major outdoor attack since the police and paramilitary forces began operations and raids following the Supreme Court’s suo motu action against Karachi’s violence.

The four young men namely Raza, Haris Iqbal, Anas Hassan and Arif, were gunned down and another one, Adnan, was critically injured when at least four armed men on two motorcycles opened fire with sophisticated weapons on a garment shop located at Muslim Town near Nagan Chowrangi of North Karachi.

According to their relatives, Raza owned the shop while Iqbal and Arif used to work there as salesmen. The others were their friends and they all lived in the same area.

Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat, formerly known as Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, claimed that the victims were affiliated with them but this has yet to be corroborated by the police.

One of the victims, Arif just got married three days ago and his wedding reception is to be held today, Thursday.

The men were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where four of them died. Their relatives and neighbours protested against the law enforcement agencies and what they said was a lack of paramedical staff. They also scuffled with law enforcers. Witnesses said that though the Rangers were deployed at a short distance from the crime scene the killers managed to come, do the deed and take off easily.

SHO Changaiz Khan said that police have so far not been able to ascertain a motive. A police case, No. 531/11, was filed by Zia, victim Raza’s brother.

Meanwhile, according to a TV report, the chief justice of the Sindh High Court has asked the police department to submit a detailed report about the incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2011.