Ex-income tax commissioner shot

An Ahmadi school teacher among six people killed.

KARACHI: At 8:50am on Thursday morning, Mumtaz Sheikh’s family heard gunshots outside their house in DHA Phase IV. Little did they know that Sheikh, 66, who had just stepped out for work, was dead.

Sheikh, a former income tax commissioner and member of the local government revenue department, was in a black Toyota Corolla with his driver when four men in a gray Cuore drove up to the car, held the driver at gunpoint and opened fire at Sheikh, said the Gizri police.

According to SHO Ismail Lashari, the driver had told him that the suspects were parked 50-feet from the house. Initial investigation and statements suggests that the suspects wore shalwar kameez and were carrying Kalashnikovs. The SHO said that the driver was safe, but in shock at what had happened.

An investigation team is being led by District South SSP Asif Ejaz was formed with Clifton SP Ashfaq Alam, DSP Sheraz Asghar Sheikh and SHO Ismail Lashari on board.

When contacted by The Express Tribune, SP Alam refused to comment. He said that although they had a couple of leads, they were too busy investigating the case and could not share details.

Investigators suggest that they found three Kalashnikov bullet shells at the scene of crime and had sent them to the forensics department.

SHO Lashari said that Mumtaz Sheikh was shot four times, including the neck and chest. “We found out about this incident very late,” he said. “When the family found the body, they brought it inside and then took it to PNS Shifa Hospital. By the time we found out and got to the crime scene, all we found were the empty bullet shells.” He added that Sheikh’s family was not cooperating with the police and were busy making arrangements for the funeral.

DSP Sheraz said that the police had asked the family to give them the CCTV footage to help with the investigation. Sheikh and his neighbours had installed CCTV cameras in the area. He refused to comment if Sheikh was killed in a sectarian attack.

In an unrelated incident, a Muttahida Qaumi Movement activist identified as 28-year-old Irfan Ahmed was shot dead on Wednesday, said the Napier Road police. He was taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi. SHO Imdad Khawaja said that Ahmed was shot twice by two unidentified men on a motorcycle.

A man identified as 24-year-old Omair was killed while two of his friends, Najam and Khizar Hayat, were injured on their way home after collecting the admission form for Jinnah Polytechnic College, said the North Nazimabad police. SHO Saleem Naz said that three men on two motorcycles on the three men. In Sultanabad, a man identified as 38-year-old Iqbal was shot dead near his house, said the Manghopir police. They claim that Iqbal was on his way out when unidentified men opened fire at him. The body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Two people were also shot dead in Orangi Town.

Ahmadi school teacher gunned down

Thirty-six-year-old Abdul Ghaffar, a government school teacher and resident of Saeedabad, was gunned down in Lyari, said the Chakiwara police. He was taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi. They said that Ghaffar, an Ahmadi, was shot dead on his way home from work by two men on a motorcycle. According to a spokesperson from the Ahmadi community, Ghaffar was the father of four children and had worked at the school for 15 years. “It was a targeted attack,” he said while talking to The Express Tribune. “We have told all our community members to be careful but no precaution seems to be enough.” He added that this was this was the second time such an incident had taken place in two months.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2012.