Targeted attacks: Three political party activists among six shot dead

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

In Lyari, 35-year-old Akhtar Hussain Shah was shot dead near Hungorabad, said the Kalri police. They added that he was affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). According to SHO Chand Khan Niazi, Shah was killed over a fight with a friend identified as Usman. He added that Shah was shot at six times and in 2011, he was injured in a hand grenade attack near Mauripur.

Forty-five-year-old Najeeb was killed and his friend Hazrat Gul, 35, was injured when two men on a motorcycle opened fire at them. They were taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi. SHO Zafar Iqbal said that the men were from Swat and had moved to Karachi recently. He suspects that they were killed over a personal enmity.

A butcher identified as Sabir, 55, was shot dead near his house, said the Liaquatabad police. DSP Wajahat Hussain claimed that two men were behind the attack. He added that Sabir was not affiliated with any political party but might have been killed over a dispute.

In an unrelated incident, 30-year-old Hamid was killed near Pankha Hotel, said the Shershah police. They claimed that he was affiliated with the MQM.

Ashraf Khan, 40, was killed in a group clash with Sher Khan, who was injured, near Pehlwan Goth, said the Sharae Faisal police. They were taken to Jinnah Postgradate Medical Centre. According to SHO Bashir Khan, two groups of the Awami National Party had an argument and the men started firing at each other.

In Sohrab Goth, a 50-year-old man identified as Jalil was killed inside his house in Gabol Goth. DSP Qamar Ahmed said that unidentified suspects barged into Jalil’s house and opened fire at him. He added that Jalil’s second wife was killed in a similar manner a while ago. The DSP suspects that his first wife’s family might be behind the attack. The suspects managed to escape before the police got to the scene of crime.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2012.