Target killings: Two policemen, corner shop owner shot dead

The motive behind two murders could not be ascertained

KARACHI: At least five people, including two policemen, were gunned down in separate incidents across the city on Friday.

The head constable of the Manghopir police station, Nadeem Abbasi and Shershah police station’s constable Sajid were shot dead in Sultanabad. District West SSP Asif Ejaz Sheikh told The Express Tribune that the suspects were targeting Abbasi as he was a key operator in the raids and encounters in Sultanabad.

According to SP Akram Abro, Abbasi and Sajid were good friends and were on their way home in a Suzuki Cultus when the suspects attacked them. He added that Abbasi was a resident of Sultanabad and had played a vital role in arresting several suspects from the area.

The police claim that an investigation was underway and that the motive behind the murder could not be ascertained. The bodies were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

In Gulshan-e-Iqbal, a 17-year-old boy identified as Mohammad Irfan was shot dead, said the Mobina Town police. They claim that the boy and his family had moved to Karachi from Larkana two days ago. SHO Khan Mohammad Sheikh said that Irfan had gone to visit a friend at Safari Park and was shot at by two men on a motorcycle while he was waiting. He added that Irfan was a 10th grade student. The police believe that he was killed because of a personal enmity with the Kandara tribe. Irfan’s family has registered a case against six men from the Kandara tribe. The body was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

Fareed Khan, 36, was gunned down near Lyari Express, said the Shershah police. They claim that the incident took place when Khan was in a cab and on his way to visit his cousin Saleem. He was shot at by two men who managed to escape before the police got there. The police said that he worked at the fisheries and was from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. FIR No. 19/12 was registered against the suspects.

A man identified as 31-year-old Ghulam Sakhi was shot dead near his house on the Super Highway, said the Sohrab Goth police. The initial investigation suggests that the suspects had argued with Sakhi outside his house and killed him. Sakhi used to run a general store near his house. The motive behind the murder could not be ascertained. No case was registered when this report was filed.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2012.