Battleground Karachi: Prominent ANP activist shot dead
Lal Darwesh had refused to pay Rs4 million in extortion.
A cousin of the ANP's Sindh chapter chief, Shahi Syed, was assassinated. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
A cousin of the Awami National Party’s Sindh chapter chief, Shahi Syed, was assassinated in broad daylight in an apparent act of target killing in Karachi’s Orangi Town locality on Friday.
Syed Lal Darwesh, 46, an activist of ANP, had served the party in different positions, including president for SITE Town Ward. A transporter by profession, Darwesh leaves behind two widows and 18 children.
This was the third attempt on his life. The last one was in the holy month of Ramazan, when unidentified men threw a locally made bomb at his Al-Darwesh Motor Workshop in Banaras Chowk. Darwesh had escaped unhurt then.
Sources said that Taliban elements were forcing Darwesh to pay Rs4million in extortion or get killed.
On Talban’s hit list
ANP’s leadership is on the hit list of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Karachi for two years. Orangi, SITE, Landhi, Quaidabad, Muzaffarabad, Sharafi Goth, Sohrab Goth, Manghopir - the areas once known as the stronghold of ANP - have now become unsafe for the party with the red flag.
TTP elements have made their roots strong in these areas and ANP is now unable to open its offices there.
Refused to buy life
Sources in ANP and police told The Express Tribune that members of TTP Swat were behind a series of attacks on Darwesh. The TTP activists had demanded Rs4 million as extortion money from Darwesh, sources claimed.
His refusal to buy the right to life put him on the death list of TTP, an ANP leader said.
ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan in a press statement condemned Darwesh’s murder and demanded the arrest of the culprits involved. “Terrorists have been given a free hand to kill ANP leaders and workers. No one can stop our political struggle with tyranny.”
Crime scene
The incident occurred when the deceased was sitting along with his friend near Quba Masjid at Al-Darwesh Chowk in Frontier Colony when at least two armed men riding a motorcycle sprayed him with bullets. Darwesh was shot thrice in his head, neck and foot and died in a few moments. The assailants escaped unchallenged.
“They (culprits) were trained. They even did not go back until he breathed his last,” said the victim’s friend whose name was not disclosed due to security reasons. “Even while fleeing, they repeatedly shouted that this is the result of not meeting our demands.”
Following the incident, a score of people gathered on the spot and transported him to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
Shahi Syed also visited the victim’s house and condemned the incident. “ANP is being victimised at the hands of different terrorist groups in the city,” said Shahid Syed. “We should not be cornered to adopt alternative means.”
SHO Abdul Moeed of the local police station said that police was trying to make sketches of the culprits and a proper investigation would be conducted after registering of the FIR.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2013.
A cousin of the Awami National Party’s Sindh chapter chief, Shahi Syed, was assassinated in broad daylight in an apparent act of target killing in Karachi’s Orangi Town locality on Friday.
Syed Lal Darwesh, 46, an activist of ANP, had served the party in different positions, including president for SITE Town Ward. A transporter by profession, Darwesh leaves behind two widows and 18 children.
This was the third attempt on his life. The last one was in the holy month of Ramazan, when unidentified men threw a locally made bomb at his Al-Darwesh Motor Workshop in Banaras Chowk. Darwesh had escaped unhurt then.
Sources said that Taliban elements were forcing Darwesh to pay Rs4million in extortion or get killed.
On Talban’s hit list
ANP’s leadership is on the hit list of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Karachi for two years. Orangi, SITE, Landhi, Quaidabad, Muzaffarabad, Sharafi Goth, Sohrab Goth, Manghopir - the areas once known as the stronghold of ANP - have now become unsafe for the party with the red flag.
TTP elements have made their roots strong in these areas and ANP is now unable to open its offices there.
Refused to buy life
Sources in ANP and police told The Express Tribune that members of TTP Swat were behind a series of attacks on Darwesh. The TTP activists had demanded Rs4 million as extortion money from Darwesh, sources claimed.
His refusal to buy the right to life put him on the death list of TTP, an ANP leader said.
ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan in a press statement condemned Darwesh’s murder and demanded the arrest of the culprits involved. “Terrorists have been given a free hand to kill ANP leaders and workers. No one can stop our political struggle with tyranny.”
Crime scene
The incident occurred when the deceased was sitting along with his friend near Quba Masjid at Al-Darwesh Chowk in Frontier Colony when at least two armed men riding a motorcycle sprayed him with bullets. Darwesh was shot thrice in his head, neck and foot and died in a few moments. The assailants escaped unchallenged.
“They (culprits) were trained. They even did not go back until he breathed his last,” said the victim’s friend whose name was not disclosed due to security reasons. “Even while fleeing, they repeatedly shouted that this is the result of not meeting our demands.”
Following the incident, a score of people gathered on the spot and transported him to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
Shahi Syed also visited the victim’s house and condemned the incident. “ANP is being victimised at the hands of different terrorist groups in the city,” said Shahid Syed. “We should not be cornered to adopt alternative means.”
SHO Abdul Moeed of the local police station said that police was trying to make sketches of the culprits and a proper investigation would be conducted after registering of the FIR.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2013.