Drive-by shootings: Two political party activists, policeman gunned down

KARACHI:

Around five people, including two political party activists and a policeman, were shot dead on Tuesday.

Tension gripped Orangi and Baldia Town after two men associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party were gunned down. A heavy contingent of Rangers and the police had to be called in to monitor the area.

Mohammad Haroon, a baker, and a man identified as Shahid Ahmed alias Shaheen Bihari, 35, were killed in Orangi Town, said the Pakistan Bazaar police. They claimed that Ahmed was a PPP activist and was shot at in Sector 14E by two men on a motorcycle. His body was taken to Aga Khan University Hospital and then Civil Hospital Karachi. Haroon’s body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Mohammad Saleem Awan, 35, was gunned down by four men on two motorcycles near his house in Qaimkhani Colony, Baldia Town, said the Mochko police. They said that Awan was associated with the PPP’s cultural wing and was a close friend of Salam Bihari. The body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

A 47-year-old police constable identified as Gulzar Alvi was shot dead near his house in Petal Wali Gali, said the Rizvia police. They said that Alvi was on his way to work when two men on a motorcycle opened fire at him. The body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. In an unrelated incident, Noor Habib was gunned down at work in SITE. The police said that he used to work as a security guard and was from Kohat. They suspect that he was killed over a personal enmity. The body was taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi.

Not enough patrolling

Meanwhile, the chief minister berated the inspector-general of police over members of his force who were absent from work, especially the police deployed on the roads of Karachi.

Qaim Ali Shah talked about his recent visit to the old city areas, saying that he didn’t see men on patrol or enough at pickets, at the police stations and at commercial centres and markets. Businesses asked him for more policing.

There aren’t that many criminals in Karachi, observed the CM, adding however, that the problem was that organised crime was high.

He told the police chief that representatives of small traders told him that the media “unnecessarily highlighted minor incidents” as if they were high-profile crimes.

The officers gave the chief minister performance reports. It was decided that the police would keep checking men on motorcycles as most target killings are perpetrated by two riders. Also, suspected target killers will be sent to jails outside Karachi.

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