Hakim Barkati dies in targeted attack at his clinic

His son believ­es he was the target and his father was killed by mistak­e.

KARACHI:

A prominent writer, scholar and custodian of old Eastern traditions, Hakim Mehmood Ahmed Barkati, 87, was shot dead inside his clinic near Taleemi Bagh, Federal B Area on Wednesday afternoon.

Barkati was consulting patients at his clinic when two men, dressed in trousers and shirts, parked their motorcycle outside. One of the men, who wore a helmet, stayed outside, while the other one, who had a light beard, entered the clinic.

He asked the compounder if Barkati was available, who told him to wait for his turn. “He [the culprit] told me that he’s only here for a meeting and went inside,” said a witness, on the condition of anonymity. “As soon as he went inside, we heard gunshots. He came out and then escaped with his accomplice.”

Barkati was shot twice in his chest and neck and died on the spot. His body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for an autopsy and was later handed over to his family.

His son, Mujahid Mehmood Barkati, who is the former union council Nazim of Jauharabad and a member of the election committee of Jamaat-e-Islami’s district Central, told The Express Tribune that he was on the hit list of the culprits. His father was killed by mistake. Jauharabad police and other family members also agreed.

A witness claimed that the same men came to the clinic on Tuesday evening, but left when they found out that Mujahid was unavailable.

“Hakim sahib was coming to the clinic on alternate days and I used to fill in for him,” Mujahid told The Express Tribune. “Today, unfortunately, he came in and those men targeted him instead.”

Gulberg division SSP Amir Farooqui said that the victim had no personal enmity with anyone and did not have any political affiliation. The police are hoping to publish sketches of the suspects with the help of CCTV cameras installed nearby. The family has yet to register the FIR as they are still in shock, he added. Jamaat-e-Islami issued a statement condemning the murder and offering their condolences to the family.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2013.