Three people shot dead, police arrest suspect involved in 19 killings

The victims included an activist of MQM.

KARACHI:

Even though the police claimed that they apprehended a suspect allegedly involved in 19 cases of target killings, there was no let-up in violence in the city on Saturday. At least three people, including an activist of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), were killed and eight others were injured.

Two men were killed after being abducted and another is still in the captivity of the suspects. The police said that two brothers, Zahid and Siraj, were kidnapped on Friday along with their nephew Sunny. Zahid was later found in a critical condition near Timber Market. He was taken to Civil Hospital. Shortly after this, Sunny’s body was found in a sewerage drain located near ICI Bridge.

Zahid’s mother told SHO Ghulam Nabi Afridi that armed men first abducted Zahid and then forced him to call his younger brother via cell phone and tell him that he had an accident. He was also asked to tell his brother and cousin to come to the Old Golimar area of Pak Colony with Rs60,000. Zahid’s mother said that when she went with Siraj and Sunny to Old Golimar area, at least five armed men were waiting to ambush them. The suspects abducted the two men. A case has been registered against unidentified people on the complaint of Zahid’s mother.

In an unrelated incident, an activist of MQM was gunned down near Korangi Indus Hospital. SHO Dilawar Jhokio said that the victim, identified as 30-year-old Adil, was a former activist of Sunni Tehreek and had recently joined the party. The victim was travelling on his motorcycle when two armed men intercepted and shot him. The body was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

Alleged target killer arrested

A suspect allegedly involved in about 19 cases of target killings was apprehended in Quaidabad, said Malir SP Zahid Hussain. He added that the suspect, Jahanzaib aka Fauji, is affiliated with a political party and was involved in killings in various localities, including Shah Faisal Colony, Orangi Town and Sherpao Colony.

Injured

A 55-year-old woman, identified as Mo’azima, wife of Imam Buksh, was shot and injured, said the Gizri police. In another incident, two people, including Kamran Qureshi, were shot and injured within the limits of New Karachi Industrial Area. The motive behind the incident has yet to be ascertained.

In an unrelated incident, a 19-year-old man, identified as Haseeb Shafiq, was injured within the jurisdiction of the Jamshed Quarters police station. The victim was sleeping on the roof of his house when a stray bullet hit him. In a separate incident, a 22-year-old man, identified as Kashif, was wounded in Shah Latif area when he resisted two alleged robbers. In another alleged robbery attempt, 23-year-old Muzaffar Hussain and 25-year-old Shakeel Ashraf were shot and injured in Sher Shah when they resisted robbers. In Orangi Town, a young man, identified as Manzur Atif, was shot and injured by unidentified men.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2012.