Target killing: Violence, fear mar Eid celebrations

Four killed, four injured in a week; violence shows that patrolling by security personnel is useless.

GILGIT:

Residents of the capital city observed Eidul Azha amid fear as incidents of target killings continued for the past two days. The fresh wave of violence has claimed four lives so far in a week’s time.

“We are sick and tired of this situation. We cannot go out easily due to fear of being shot at,” Najam Hussain, a resident of Gilgit, told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.

“Target killings go unabated despite security pickets in the city and police patrolling roads; I am speechless,” Ejaz Khan, a businessman said commenting on the volatile situation. On Wednesday, Sabir Ahmed was seriously injured when armed men ambushed him near the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly in the high security zone.

According to relatives, the man was going home when he was attacked. Hospital sources said that the man’s condition was serious as a bullet has pierced through his jaw.

On Tuesday night, gunshots in the air further added to the fears of the residents. “I celebrated Eid under the shadow of fear and uncertainty,” said Iqbal Mohammad.

On Monday, a man identified as Shaheen escaped an attempt on his life near Old Jaglot Adda, where he was fired upon by unidentified men.

Just a day before Eid, Karim Ali, a resident of Domiyal, fell prey to target killing. He was ambushed near District Jail.

Unidentified armed men shot and killed a man in Napur area earlier this week.

City administration claims that policemen have been deployed on almost every street in the town to keep an eye on the activities of suspects.

However, the exercise has failed to yield the desired results so far, as four people have lost their lives and four other sustained injuries in target killings in the past seven days.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2011.