One dead, six injured in blast on Rangers vehicle

Police officer who took part in 1990’s Karachi operation among 11 shot dead.

KARACHI:

At 9:45 pm on Wednesday night, as a Rangers mobile, heading to Peoples Chowrangi from Shafiq Mor, drove over a speed breaker, a blast left one person dead and six others, including three Rangers personnel, injured.

The authorities claim that it was not a planted device. According to West Zone DIG Akram Naeem, initial investigation suggested that a hand grenade or something similar to it was thrown on the Rangers mobile from across the street. The Rangers personnel in the mobile, including an inspector and driver, claim that they did not see anything. “We do not know what happened,” said the inspector. “One minute we were driving over a speed breaker and the next second we heard a loud explosion.” The driver and the inspector who were sitting in the front seat were not injured, but the three men in the back were.

The inspector added that the Rangers were usually on duty at Shafiq Morr but had been asked to visit one of the officials.

Zubair, a young man in his 20s, was on his motorcycle when the blast happened, he died on the spot and was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Mushtaq, a rickshaw driver, and his two passengers were injured and taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The three Rangers personnel were taken to the Rangers Hospital in Nazimabad.

SSP Asim Qaimkhani said that an improvised explosive device was used but it is too early to comment if it was planted. Ali Chishti, a man who lives across the street, says that he was standing outside his house did not see anyone cross the road or throw anything at the Rangers.

Targeted killings

A police officer who played an active role in the 1990’s Karachi operation was among 11 people gunned down in the city on Wednesday.

Sohail, 40, was shot dead while police constable Shafqat Gondal was injured in an attack on Manghopir Road, said the Pak Colony police. They claimed that Sohail and Gondal had walked out of the police station as they had to meet someone. As soon as they walked out, unidentified men opened fire at them. West Zone SSP Amir Farooqui said that Sohail had played an active role in the 1990’s Karachi operation. So far more than 150 policemen who took part in the Karachi operation have been gunned down.

In an unrelated incident, a man identified as 35-year-old Tahir was gunned down near the Nala Stop, said the New Karachi police. They claimed that two unidentified men on a motorcycle chased Tahir and then shot him in the head twice. DSP Mohammad Akhtar said that Tahir lived in the neighbourhood and was associated with the Sunni Tehreek.

Twenty-nine-year-old Akbar Ali, a Custom’s employee, was killed by unidentified men as he made his way through Liaquatabad. He was shot once in the head. The body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

An employee of the Karachi Port Trust was found dead near the railway tracks, said the Sharafi Goth police. Saleem Khan, 40, was a resident of Usmanabad and went missing two days ago. The police suspect that he was kidnapped and killed.

Yawar Mehdi, 42, was shot dead near Gol Market, said the Nazimabad police. They claimed that Mehdi was a businessman who had a dispute with some contractors in the area.

An alleged gangster from Lyari identified as Enayat Baloch, 38, was killed near Baloch Para, said the Super Market police. They claimed that Enayat lived in Ilyas Goth and his brother had been killed in the same way.

In an unrelated incident, 28-year-old Arsalan was gunned down, said the Khokhrapar police. They claimed that Arsalan was wanted in several cases, including the murder of a Rangers personnel. A 30-year-old bakery owner identified as Kashif and two other shopkeepers, Khurram and Tauseef, were injured when motorcyclists opened fire at the bakery in Orangi Town, said the Mominabad police. Ehtishamul Haq, 27, was gunned down while standing outside his house in Sector 4-D, said the Surjani police. SHO Shabbir Hussain said that Haq worked in a factory and was not associated with any political party.

The body of an unidentified young man was found in Mureed Goth. SHO Chaudhry Basheer said that the man had been kidnapped. The body of another unidentified man was found in Ranchore Lane, said the Risala police.

Grenade attack

In first of its kind attack, Gulberg cement depot hit by hand grenade. At least eight people including shopkeepers and passersby were injured in the attack. A car parked outside the depot was partially damaged in Block-16, Federal B Area.

According to witnesses, two young armed men on a motorcycle were behind the attack. They said that the men lobbed the grenade inside the cement depot but it missed its target and fell at the main gate.

The injured were identified as Shahbaz, 25, Aqeel Raheem, 45, Nabeel, 20, Munir, 10, Majid, 20, Ataullah, 45, Rasheed, 20 and Ahsan, 60.

According to neighbouring shopkeepers, a group of extortionists was behind the attack as the cement depot owner had been asked to pay Rs10 million about two weeks ago and warned of dire consequences if he wouldn’t cough up the money.

The market’s shopkeepers and traders also protested the attack and demanded that those responsible be arrested.Shopkeepers say that Wednesday’s attack was the first of its kind at the market. Police officials said that did not have any information about extortion threats.

DSP Saleem Akhtar Siddiqui said that the depot owner is also associated with the construction business but he did not inform the police about the extortion threat.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2012.