Targeted killing: Van driver killed in sectarian violence

KARACHI:

Nine people, including a member of the Shia community and two Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) supporters, were killed in different acts of violence in the city on Wednesday.

Imran Abbas Zaidi, 30, a van driver by profession, was shot dead by two armed motorcyclists when he was picking up children to drop them off to their schools.  “A total of six bullets were shot, two hit his head and the other four misfired,” explained DSP Chaudhry Akhtar. “They (culprits) took advantage of the speed breaker and attacked him when the victim slowed down his vehicle.”

The incident happened in the North Karachi area. Police said that the man belonged to the Shia community. There were two students on the back seats of the van at the time of the incident but they were unhurt.

MQM’s supporter Irfan Qasim, 29, a rickshaw driver, was found dead in Lyari.

A man belonging to the Kutchi community was killed in Bihar Colony. Kashif Qadir was sitting near his home when motorcyclists shot him.

A student of intermediate and an MQM supporter, Farhan Ismail, was found dead near Lyari River, Machar Colony.

In the Surjani locality, Rizwana Begum was found dead inside her house in Hassan Brohi Goth. Qaiser Iqbal was shot dead and his brother was wounded during a robbery attempt in their house in Bhittai Colony, Ibrahim Hyderi. Police arrested the alleged robber, Khalid.

Another man, Raja Pervez, was found dead in Saleh Mohammad Goth.

Meanwhile, two men were found dead separately from Docks and Pak Colony areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2013.