Target killings: Excise and taxation officer among five killed in the city

The police claimed to have seized nine hand grenades suspected to be used in terrorist activities.

KARACHI: An excise and taxation officer was among the five people who were killed in the city on Tuesday.

Jamal Raza, 35, who worked with the excise and taxation department, was shot dead by men on a motorcycle in Mujahid Colony, said the police. Mominabad SHO Naveed Nasir said that Raza was a resident of Malir and had come to Orangi Town to visit his brother. The body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and the motive behind the killing has yet to be ascertained.

There was unrest in the rest of the city as well. Two men were killed and another was wounded in a drive-by shooting in Orangi Town. The police said that 55-year-old Mohammad Bashir and 28-year-old Gul Ahmed were gunned down near a vegetable stand by men on a motorcycle in Aligarh Colony.

Another vendor, identified as Shahid Yaqoob, 21, was also injured in the firing. The bodies and Shahid were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. SHO Zulqarnain Haider claimed, however, that there was a personal motive behind the attack and that Gul and Shahid were innocent by standers who came in the way. He added that an investigation was underway.

Shahid, 37, was gunned down by unknown assailants near his house within the jurisdiction of Zaman Town police station. The police said that Shahid was not affiliated with any political or religious party and was a private factory worker. The motive behind the killing has yet to be ascertained and the police have yet to file the case.

Javed, a passerby who was wounded during an exchange of fire between two sectarian groups near Sohrab Goth around three days ago, died at Patel Hospital in Gulshan-e-Iqbal on Tuesday. He lived in al-Noor Society, Gulberg, and was caught in the crossfire when he was on the way home.

Meanwhile, the Manghopir police claim to have seized nine hand grenades during a raid conducted at Kunwari Colony area. They added that they found the hand grenades from an empty plot after receiving a tip-off and they suspected that the grenades were to be used in terrorist activities.

A rickshaw driver, Adil, 24, was shot dead by two unidentified assailants riding on a motorcycle near Kati Pahari, Orangi Town, said the Pirabad police. They added that he was shot once in the head and died on the spot. The body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and the motive behind the killing was unknown.

Separately, two policemen, identified as Malik Nazeer and Asif Gujjar, were wounded in indiscriminate firing when they were on patrol in Rasheedabad area of Khawaja Ajmair Nagri. They were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medical treatment.