Two injured in ‘planned’ shootout near Ancholi

KARACHI:

Sectarian violence continued in the city when two men were injured after a shootout between participants of a rally and those of a funeral procession on Shara-e-Pakistan near Ancholi. Two buses were also set on fire.

A Shia man, identified as Safdar, and Ali Ishaq, were injured in an exchange of fire between participants of the Labaik Ya Rasool Allah rally and mourners of a funeral procession for three Shia community members, a father and his two sons who were shot dead at their shop in Orangi Town, on Sunday.

The incident took place when the procession was on its way to Wadi-e-Hussain graveyard under tight security. It was reported that indiscriminate firing started, leaving the people in a state of panic and confusion. Both parties had started firing at each other. Two welfare buses were also set alight.

DIG West Javed Odho, however, told The Express Tribune that there was no clash between the rally or procession members. “There were unknown miscreants behind the incident, who tried to incite violence, but luckily both parties realised this scheme and further bloodshed was avoided,” said Odho. The procession and rally carried on to their destinations without any further untoward incident.

The Sunni Tehreek’s, Mobin Qadri, said that some miscreants were behind the attack at the rally, but their conspiracy was foiled. Similarly, Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen’s spokesman Ali Ahmar said that they believed that some conspirators were behind the attack, who wanted both groups to clash.

Meanwhile, four members of the Shia community, who were shot dead in Orangi and Jamshed Quarters in targeted attacks on Sunday, were laid to rest at Wadi-e-Hussain graveyard.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2012.