6 down in 1 day, but how many more to go?

KARACHI: The briefings continued at Chief Minister House and Bilawal House, and the killings continued elsewhere in the city. Some of them were just plain murders, others were suspected target killings. In the end, at least six more people were shot dead on Friday, bringing the estimated toll to 27 in the past four days.

Late Friday night, in a particularly brazen attack, two men were killed, including a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) worker, and 12 people were injured in a drive-by shooting in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. The incident was described as an attack on the MQM’s unit No. 3 office. One victim was identified as MQM activist Azhar, the second victim could not be immediately identified but was said to be a bus conductor. The incident took place in block 17, at Haroon Royal City apartments. Shortly after the street lights were turned off and the police and rangers hit the area in a search operation.

People set fire to a minibus in the same area. The injured were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Liaquat National Hospital and five are said to be in critical condition.

Earlier on, a 28-year-old MQM activist was shot dead. As with all cases, the police need to investigate them before confirming that they are indeed target killings.

Online reported that President Asif Ali Zardari told the law-enforcing agencies to launch an across-the-board operation against criminals involved in target killings and land grabbing in the city. He said this during a briefing by Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza at Chief Minister House on Friday. He told them not to bow to any political pressure.

The home minister told the president that land grabbing was a major factor behind the target killings, as political and ethnic groups were killing each other’s workers in order to occupy government lands in and around the city.

CCPO Waseem Ahmad said that the police and Rangers had started a search operation in Malir, Al Falah, and Shah Faisal Colony and had arrested 15 suspects.

The victims

Muhammad Inam was shot dead while he was sitting outside his house No. 50-A in Taiser Town by at least three unidentified motorcyclists. Inam was hit by two bullets in the torso and died on the spot.

He worked as a plumber and was a father to three children, said the police. Another man, Farhan Yaqoob, was sitting with Inam at the time of the attack and was injured. They were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

An unidentified body was found from Zamzama Morr in Malir-15 within the jurisdiction of Al Falah police station. The body was taken to Jinnah hospital and later to the Edhi Morgue.

The police claimed that the victim appeared to be from an Urdu-speaking family. The victim was shot four times, including in the head, said the police.

Meanwhile, the Shah Faisal police found two bodies from Natha Khan Bridge. One of the bodies was identified as 25-year-old Faisal, a resident of Azeempura. According to the police, he was killed at another location and his body was thrown at the bridge.

The second body was found from Chakor nullah in Natha Khan area and was identified as Rizwan Wali Muhammad.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2010.