Targeted spokesman becomes 4th ASWJ casualty

Spokesman for the Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat, Maulana Ehsaan Farooqui, was gunned down by unidentified men.

KARACHI: The spokesman for the Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat (ASWJ) Karachi division, Maulana Ehsaan Farooqui, was gunned down by unidentified men at a puncture shop near Guru Mandir on Wednesday.

An ASWJ worker, Naeem, was also injured in the firing. This was the fourth murder of a person affiliated with the ASWJ over the last four days. However, Farooqui’s assassination is so far the most high-profile case.

After offering the funeral prayers for ASWJ naib president Mushtaq Lala, who was gunned down on Tuesday, and later addressing a press conference, Farooqui, accompanied by Naeem, was headed home.

He stopped at a puncture shop to have his motorcycle’s tyre repaired, when the assailants, who were stalking the two men, arrived at the spot and opened fire at them. Later, they managed to escape.

Soon after the news about the ASWJ spokesman’s killing broke out, a large number of leaders, workers and supporters of the ASWJ gathered at Civil hospital. They condemned the incident and criticised the government and law-enforcement agencies for their failure in bringing an end to target killings in the city.

They deplored the murders of ASWJ workers in the recent days and demanded that the culprits responsible for the murder of Farooqui as well others be apprehended as soon as possible.

Farooqui, ASWJ Karachi division’s information and press secretary, was the pesh imam at Jamia Mosque Ameer Muawiya in Scout Colony in Mobina Town. He leaves behind a widow and two children.

The slain ASWJ leader had survived two previous attempts on his life, however, the third one proved fatal.

Farooqui was also a witness in the murder case of two murdered ASWJ leaders Qari Shafiqul Rehmoon and Engineer Ilyas Zubair.

Tension gripped many areas of the city including Nagan Chowrangi, Orangi Town, Mehmoodabad, Shah Faisal Colony and Malir following the incident, while police was ordered to beef up security and enahnce patrolling.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2010.