War of attrition: No respite in sectarian murders as four more killed
The recent spate of tit-for-tat sectarian killings does not seem to be dying out, as of the nine people shot dead in the city on Friday, four were killed allegedly due to their religious links.
A man associated with the banned Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat (ASWJ) - formerly Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan - was gunned down at his automobile workshop at Peetal Wali Gali.
Rizvia police said that Mirza Sohail Baig, 38, was just opening the garage when unidentified motorcyclists sprayed him with bullets. He was shot thrice and died at the spot. The body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
DSP Rustam Khattak linked Baig’s killing to the ongoing wave of sectarian violence.
Another ASWJ supporter, 35-year-old Zakir Islam, was shot dead by at least two armed men targeted him inside his tailoring shop near Fatmia Hospital, Soldier Bazaar police said. The victim was shot thrice and died on the spot, said SHO Zahid Soomro. The body was shifted to Civil hospital for medico-legal formalities.
Another man affiliated with the Sunni Deobands was gunned down near NIPA Chowrangi in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Zubair Siddiqui, 45, was shot dead by unidentified armed motorcyclists. The body was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.
Siddiqui lived in North Karachi and worked as a technician at a laboratory. Unconfirmed reports suggested he was an ASWJ supporter, but the outfit’s spokesperson, Maulana Saeed Akbar, while confirming Mirza Sohail Baig and Zakir Islam’s association with the party, said that details about Siddiqui’s affiliation “were being gathered”.
In another possible sectarian attack, a prayer leader identified as Kashif Ashraf, 26, was shot dead in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. Sharae Faisal SHO Bashir Khan said that Ashraf subscribed to the Sunni Barelvi school of thought and was killed by two armed motorcyclists. The body was moved to the Jinnah hospital.
Three MQM activists
In Kalakot’s Ghas Mandi, an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was gunned down inside his wrought-iron shop.
Arsalan Zaki, 24, lived in Usmanabad and was a member of the MQM’s Unit 29 in Lyari Sector, said SHO Javed Baloch. At least four armed men on two motorcycles barged inside Zaki’s shop and shot him multiple times, killing him on the spot.
The body was shifted to Civil hospital, where scores of party workers and supporters also arrived.
Thirty-year-old Asif Ramzan, an activist of the MQM, was gunned down by unidentified assailants in the Garden area. Ramzan was a rickshaw driver and lived in Ranchore Line.
Another MQM worker was shot dead in Sector 11-A in New Karachi. Abdul Hakeem, 40, was an employee of the New Karachi Town and was a member of the MQM’s Unit 139, police said.
Other cases
The nephew of the former chief security officer of Bilawal House, Akram Baloch, was shot dead outside his home in Bheem Pura.
At least two armed men on a motorcycle were waiting outside the house of 26-year-old Amjad Baloch and as soon as he stepped out, they fired a volley of bullets at him, according to Napier SHO Aslam Gujjar.
Amjad Baloch was shot six times and died at the spot. The body was taken to Civil hospital.
The police found at least 15 spent 9mm bullets from the crime spot.
The body of a spiritual faith healer, who went missing two days ago, was found from Sector 34/2, Korangi. Arif Hidayatullah, 65, lived in Nafeesabad. Unidentified suspects had first burnt the victim’s limbs and then shot him four times, said case inquiry officer, SI Mohammad Asghar.
The body of another missing man was found at Jinnah Bridge, Docks police said. Abdul Latif Baloch, 37, lived in Kalri, Lyari and was a fisherman. He had been missing since Thursday, police said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2012.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ