Targeted attacks: Two political activists, KESC employee shot dead

Police arrest Ghaffar Zikri’s accomplice near Pak Colony.

KARACHI: Around five people, including two political party activists, were gunned down in the city on Monday.

In Nazimabad no. 1, a man identified as 40-year-old Yaqoob Baloch was shot dead inside a Karachi Electricity Supply Company’s office, said the Rizvia police. He was the third KESC employee to be killed in less than a week. On June 26, KESC’s deputy general manager in North Nazimabad was shot dead on his way to work. A KESC driver and lineman were injured in a drive-by shooting near their office in Malir. The authorities believe that Baloch was affliated with the Balochistan National Party and lived in Old Golimar. According to SHO Shahid Abbas, Baloch was killed in the manager’s office when five men barged into the office.

He said that three suspects held the security guards hostage while the other two ran into to the manager’s office and shot Baloch in the head. The officer added that an investigation was being carried out. The body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

In an unrelated incident, 31-year-old Sarfaraz Baloch was shot dead in Gabol Goth near Safoora Chowrangi, said the Sacchal police. He was with a friend when unidentified men opened fire at him. The body was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). SHO Azhar Ali Iqbal said that Sarfaraz was associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party UC-12.

A 25-year-old man identified as Saleem was gunned down near Gul Plaza on MA Jinnah Road, said the Nabi Bux police station. DSP Zahid Hussain Siddiqui said that Saleem was associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and lived in Ranchore Lane.

The body was taken to Civil hospital. In PIB Colony, an unidentified young man was shot dead. ASI Rana Ajmal said that the man was kidnapped and killed. The body was taken to JPMC.

The body of a man identified as 60-year-old Sultan Mohammad was found in Sultanabad, said the Jackson police. A man identified as Habib was shot dead, while Mehrab was injured when unidentified men opened fire at them in Saddar on Sunday night.

Busted

An accomplice of the alleged gangster Ghaffar Zikri was caught by the police near Pak Colony. They seized a Kalashnikov and half a kilogramme of hashish from him.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2012.