Violence roundup: Mosque leader among three killed

KARACHI:

Three people, including a prayer leader and a man from the Bohra community, were gunned down in separate incidents of targeted killings on Saturday.

The prayer leader at the Jama Masjid Bilal in Korangi, Qari Mohammad Ameen, was affiliated with Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat. He was shot dead by armed men outside the mosque in Korangi’s Bhittai Colony. His killing caused panic and anger among the ASWJ men who gathered at the Korangi Crossing and blocked it to stage a protest. His body was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for autopsy.

A young man, later identified as Nadeem Ali, was caught by the crowd who beat him severely. An extra contingent of law enforcers later reached the site and took the accused to an undisclosed location for further questioning.

ASWJ spokesperson Maulana Saeed Akbar Farooqui said that the victim was being threatened for the past six months, adding that he was previously kidnapped and beaten once. According to him, police officials were also informed about the suspects, including Nadeem Ali, who were behind the threats.

Earlier, 55-year-old Shabbir Hussain, was shot dead in Defence Phase-II. The deceased belonged to the Bohra community and used to run a battery shop for cars. SHO Farooq Satti said that two armed men shot Hussain multiple times when he was opening his shop. He died on the spot. SHO Satti said that the motive behind the incident has yet to be ascertained, adding that the initial investigation suggested that it was not sectarian.

The Pakhtun Student Federation Sindh General Secretary Dr Painda Khan, 45, was shot dead in a targeted attack in Metrovill, SITE. Police said that the victim was shot twice in the chest and was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where he succumbed to his injuries. He was a resident of the Frontier Colony. The Awami National Party senior leader Bashir Jan told The Express Tribune that the deceased was also homeopathic doctor by profession and was at his clinic when the incident took place.

Meanwhile, a young man was found from Ghazi Goth who police believe was kidnapped and then shot multiple times. They said that the body was shifted to Edhi morgue for identification.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2013.