Reign of terror: Two political workers, three other men shot dead

MQM unit 180 in-charge shot dead in a targeted attack in Nazimabad No. 6.

KARACHI:

Of the five people killed in the city on Wednesday, two belonged to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). Four more men were injured in attacks in Orangi and Manghopir as well.

MQM unit 180 in-charge, Sarfaraz Ahmed, 29, was shot dead in a targeted attack in Nazimabad No. 6 on Wednesday. “He [the deceased] was dropping his children to school when the incident took place,” SHO Faryad Bhatti told The Express Tribune. “They [the assailants] shot him in front of his children.” The deceased was a resident of Paposh Nagar.

Following the shooting, the neighbourhood became tense as businesses shut down and residents chose to stay indoors. A large number of police and Rangers were deployed in the area.

In a separate incident, another MQM worker, Yasir Arafat aka Bunty, 26, son of Mohammad Iqbal, was shot dead in Shah Faisal Colony. According to police officials, the deceased was sitting inside his marriage hall when two men on a motorcycle entered the hall and shot him several times. As a result, the victim sustained multiple bullet wounds and was rushed to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where he succumbed to his injuries.



Another MQM worker, Saleem, 40, son of Ameen, was attacked in New Karachi within the remits of Bilal Colony police station. Police officials said that the incident took place when the victim, while on the way to drop his children to school, was intercepted by two armed men on a motorcycle. The assailants shot at his vehicle multiple times. One of the bullets hit his neck and he was rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in critical condition.

Law enforcers under attack

Two Rangers personnel, Fayyaz and Saleem, were wounded when unidentified men opened fire at them in Orangi Town within the limits of Pirabad police station. DSP Zahid Hussain said that the personnel were on a routine patrol of the area when they came under attack.

Following the incident, Rangers conducted a targeted operation in Kunwari Colony area and detained about half a dozen suspects who were shifted to an undisclosed location for further questioning.

In a separate incident, an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) of the Manghopir police station was attacked by two men. SP Asif Ejaz Sheikh said that the incident occurred when police personnel in the APC tried to intercept the two suspects who opened fire at the police and managed to escape. As a result, a police constable was injured and was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment.

Other victims

Niaz Sarfaraz, 35, was shot dead by unknown assailants in Sukkhan. Police officials said that the deceased originally hailed from Battagram and had been visiting his brother in the city. They added that he had been sitting at a footpath near the brother’s house when the incident took place. The motive behind the killing could be personal enmity, they said.

An elderly man, Majeed Gul, 65, was shot dead in a firing incident in Bengali Para, Korangi.

In a case of domestic violence, 35-year old Rasheeda, wife of Iqbal, was stabbed to death in her house in Saeedabad, Baldia Town. Police officials said that the deceased was allegedly stabbed by her nephew, Zubair Kutchi, after she declined his marriage proposal. The accused managed to escape after the incident, however, the police have detained his father and brother.

MQM reacts to attacks

MQM Rabita Committee member Haider Abbas Rizvi, speaking at a press conference, said that the MQM’s workers were being targeted everyday.

He reminded the attendees that four activists had been killed on Tuesday and Wednesday while a fifth was critically injured. Rizvi asked the general public to form vigilant committees and make videos of any suspicious activities, persons or vehicles in their areas and upload them on social media.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2013.