SSP leader attacked, killings continue

KARACHI: A local leader of the outlawed Sipah-e-Sahaba, Athar Jadoon, was critically injured on Thursday afternoon in an targeted killing attempt in the Korangi industrial area, police said. The victim was in a coma at the time of filing of this report. This is the most recent in a series of targeted sectarian killings in the city.

According to the police, Jadoon was attacked by men riding a motorbike while he was on his way to the Korangi K-Area on his motorcycle from Awami Colony. Jadoon got hit by three bullets – one in his head and two in his upper torso. He was shifted to the emergency ward of the Jinnah Post-graduate Medical Centre following the attack. The Superintendent of Police Landhi Town, Haider Sultan, told The Express Tribune that the man was attacked in the Sector 28 of the Korangi near the Darul Uloom.

SP Sultan confirmed the affiliation of Jadoon with the banned religious outfit SSP. In the past, Athar was in jail for some time because of his active participation in the banned organisation’s activities, police officials maintained. The spokesperson of the SSP, Qari Ihsanullah, said that Athar Jadoon has been operated upon but his condition was critical. Ihsanullah claimed that Jadoon was targeted because of affiliation with the SSP. He was the third leader of SSP to be attacked over the past 10 days.

From March 11 to date, more than 12 leaders of various religious parties have been killed in the city. Those killed include half a dozen members and leaders of Sipah-e-Sahaba. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri , Central Information Secretary of the Ahl-e-Sunnat wal Jammat was killed in March and this was followed by the killing of leaders like Mufti Saeed Ahmad JalalPuri and Qari Abdul Hafeez. Qari Ihsanullah held the government responsible for the targeted killing and said the killing could destroy the peace of the city.