Brothers of MPA Sajid Qureshi comfort each other at a morgue. PHOTO: REUTERS
A legislator from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and his young son were killed in a drive-by shooting in the congested North Nazimabad neighbourhood of Karachi on Friday – a day which also saw the killing of 13 other people in violence elsewhere in the metropolis.
Mohammad Sajid Qureshi, in his early 50s, and his 27-year-old son were targeted by three gunmen as they left a local mosque, Masjid-e-Huda, after offering Friday prayers in Block-B area of North Nazimabad.
The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed credit for the killings of Sajid Qureshi, a member of the Sindh Assembly, and his son Waqas.
The gunmen were standing near a motorcycle. One of them opened fire on Qureshi and then turned his gun on his son, Waqas, who tried to save his father. “As soon as the gunman started firing, his accomplices escaped,” eyewitness Faisal Imran told The Express Tribune. “The shooter also managed to escape in the end.”
Police prepared the sketch of the shooter with the help of eyewitnesses.
“The attack took place a little before the MQM was to announce whether the party should join the Sindh government or not. Apparently, the killings were aimed at sabotaging relations between MQM and the Pakistan Peoples Party,” said DIG Zafar Bukhari.
However, TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the double murder in a phone call to The Express Tribune from an undisclosed location. The group had also mounted attacks on the MQM in the run-up to the May 11 elections for its secular policies.
A heavy contingent of police and paramilitary Rangers reached the crime scene as investigators collected evidence. They found the slippers of one of the gunmen. They believe the gunmen could have escaped towards Khandu Goth, an area dominated by Lyari gangsters, or Mujahid Colony.
The bodies of the deceased were shifted to Ziauddin Hospital where members of MQM’s Coordination Committee, including Saleem Siddiqi, Amir Khan and Khalid Sultan, and the victims’ relatives were present.
The MQM was set to announce the results of a referendum the party held on Thursday to find out whether or not it should join the Sindh government. The party leadership, however, postponed the announcement due to Friday’s killings.
“We were ready to announce the results but this utterly sad incident compelled us to postpone the announcement,” said Engr Nasir Jamal, deputy convenor of the Coordination Committee, told The Express Tribune.
Sajid Qureshi was elected to the Sindh Assembly from PS-103 for the first time in the May 11 elections. He has left behind a widow, two sons and a daughter to mourn his death. The MQM announced three- day mourning across the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2013.
COMMENTS (16)
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I attended the namaze janaza today.. Knew the family a bit....this act of whoever did it is unacceptable....none of the members of this family had anything to do with violence...this is a middle class family...they followed a political ideology.....that gives NO ONE the right to kill, murder or destroy a family, because someone follows a political thought....all should condemn it. I feel sorry that Sajid Qureshi, a very suave soft spoken person and his son have been gunned down...if its TTP.....then what Islamic thought are they preaching....
Sad to see son and dad go together. MQM must join PPP now to save Karachitities. Otherwise all will be washed away in the coming Sunami.
@Aysha M (original version): "There is criminal indifference to killings in Karachi at national level..." Why?
This is so sad........
First off, my prayers are with the two slain men and their family. May they rest in peace.
Secondly, it is very sad thing to say but the truth is these types of murders happen all over Pakistan every single day. Holding a 3 days strike to mourn is not helping our country at all. Yes, we're sad for the loss of these innocent victims but please stop closing the whole city for it. Why can't we mourn and go to work, why does the NA have to stop its proceedings, why can't schools and businesses open. Would it make the mourning any less? If that's the protocol given to the political party workers then this protocol should be given to every man, woman and child murdered in Pakistan every day!! Is the MNA/MPA's life worth more than hundreds of innocent Pakistanis that so innocently leave their houses and never return?
I hope and pray for a peaceful Pakistan.
This news article uses the word 'credit' which is so insensitive and what does it tell the world? That a leading newspaper either does not know English or it is describing this crime as a favorable act for which someone needs to take 'credit'. The correct word should have been 'responsibility'. It just shows the insensitivity the Pakistan nation has for human life.
The general apathy of people from outside Karachi towards the killings in Karachi is indeed very disturbing especially if the victims happen to be from a particular political party; conspiracy theories/blame games galore. Peace does not seem likely to return to Karachi in the near future, it is, however, equally painful to read some of the comments on this forum showing complete disregard to the situation in Karachi.
INALILALAH WA INNA ALEHY. TTP must be eliminated once for all.Agreed with Altah Hussain. TTP is a coward group
why no army operation in the land of pure against Lashkar-e-jhangvi...the punjab
The names are different, but the scene is always the same. The hospital morgue, the crying relatives,the "investigation" launched...but never quite completed. It seems as if in Karachi life has become one long perpetual day of mourning without no end in site. It's citizens must rise up and demand accountability and the return to law and order. Otherwise, just wait your turn for your family to be featured in the scene above.
@Mehmood: this will go on as long as Pakistan is ruled by people who have no stakes in this country, either living in self exile, or choosing to move lock stock and barrel to other safer cities in foreign countries, knowing fully well that they have destroyed this country and brought misery to its citizens.
My condolences on the death of very human being killed in this insane mindless and brutal battle for turf in Karachi, whose beneficiaries lead lives of luxury in UK, Dubai and South Africa. Let me know does the Governor, President, or PM express condolences with every citizen of Karachi who has been killed by target killers. why does the MQM not observe mourning when common citizens are killed, or are they cannon fodder, who don't matter. There is a saying those who live by the sword die by the sword.
Express tribune seems to be on very cordial terms with Ehsanullah Ehsan.
No one seems to be safe in Pakistan anymore! Not the common man, not Army personnel or generals, not even former Prime Ministers or Governors; yet we do nothing but sit on our behinds and take it like a defeated and cowardly nation.
It's about time we stand up and say enought us enough!!!!!
ET please let us know if the PM President governors and CMs of the other provinces have offered condolences to family or the party