Three men gunned down in Turbat

Victims planned to travel to Europe via Iran for economic reasons.

QUETTA: Three would-be economic migrants were gunned down on Sunday in the Mand area of Turbat district, around 900 kilometres away from the provincial capital.

According to Balochistan Levies official Shameem Ahmad, gunmen opened fire on three would-be economic migrants at a bus stop, killing them on the spot.

The attackers fled the scene before Levies personnel reached the spot. The deceased were taken to the district headquarters hospital where they were identified as Muhammad Waqas, resident of Hafizabad, Punjab, and Muhammad Ibrahim and Muhammad Khaliq, both hailing from the Dera Ghazi Khan district of Punjab.

“The victims were waiting for a bus to leave the country … they planned to travel to Europe via Iran in search of better economic opportunities,” the Levies official said.

No group has claimed  responsibility for the triple murder. Police have registered a case and started investigation.

Meanwhile, a lady doctor was gunned down in the Mastung Road neighbourhood of Quetta on Sunday.

Dr Tayyaba was shot dead allegedly by her husband Abu Bakr, a pharmacist at Sheikh Zaid Hospital, according to police. The alleged killer managed to escape after the murder. Police suspect the murder could be the result of some familial dispute.

In another incident, a man was killed in Quetta’s Double Road area. Police sources said Naseem Raza was waiting for a bus when gunmen opened fire on him, killing him on the spot.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2012.