Kunwari Colony raids: Passerby killed during protest against search operation
SP claims victim was shot before police and Rangers reached the scene.
KARACHI:
A passerby was shot dead and one protestor was injured in a protest staged on Wednesday against the detention of several hundred men a day earlier in a Rangers’ operation in Kunwari Colony and neighbouring areas.
The protest began in the morning in Kati Pahari, continued till noon and ended up on Manghopir Road where the incident took place. According to residents, the death took place during crossfiring between the Rangers and the protestors. On the other hand, the Rangers and police contradicted the allegations and said that they did not open straight fire at the protestors and the killing was the result of their own fire.
“The Rangers opened straight fire at us,” claimed one of the protestors Ismail Mehsud. “We were only staging a protest against the detention of innocent residents as it is our right and we were not hurting anyone during the protest.”
The victim was identified as Atiqur Rehman, 29, and Tahir, 25, was reported injured. Gadap SP Rao Anwar told The Express Tribune that the victim was a resident of Baldia Town and hailed from Hazara division. “The claims of the protestors are baseless as the victim was killed before the arrival of the police and Rangers at the scene,” SP Anwar said. “The injured person was also wounded in the firing by the protestors. They even attacked us when we reached the site but fortunately no one from the Rangers or police was hurt.”
Around three to four hundred residents of Kunwari Colony and its surrounding areas came out to support a call for a strike announced by a previously unknown group, the Muttahida Qaumi Pakhtoon Ittehad (MQPI). They first gathered at Kati Pahari from where they gradually moved to main Manghopir. They burnt tyres on the main road that falls in the jurisdiction of Gadap Town. They also pelted passing vehicles with stones and blocked the main thoroughfare for hours. Several vehicles were also damaged as the mob attacked them with stones.
Witnesses said that the protestors also fired into the air. According to witness accounts, the law enforcers used tear gas and aerial firing to disperse the crowd.
The Rangers detained over two dozen protestors for attacking the law enforcers and disturbing the law and order situation in the locality. But most of them were released after initial investigations.
The family of the victim did not take his body to hospital for legal formalities. The police have registered a case by nominating unidentified men, the SP added.
Wednesday’s violence was in reaction to a six-hour door-to-door search operation in which around 500 men, including some women, were taken into custody.
According to some reports, some of the suspects who were detained were injured in fighting with the security forces in the tribal areas. They had come to Karachi for medical treatment.
According to unconfirmed reports, nearly 90 per cent of the people detained on Tuesday have been released. “A maximum strength of the detainees has been released,” said a Rangers spokesman. “Now we have only those who were taken into the custody with weapons and we have evidence against them.”
Talking about the protest on Wednesday, the spokesman said that most of the people had been released. “No one was killed or injured by the firing of the Rangers,” he said. “The Rangers only dispersed them by using routine practice.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2010.
A passerby was shot dead and one protestor was injured in a protest staged on Wednesday against the detention of several hundred men a day earlier in a Rangers’ operation in Kunwari Colony and neighbouring areas.
The protest began in the morning in Kati Pahari, continued till noon and ended up on Manghopir Road where the incident took place. According to residents, the death took place during crossfiring between the Rangers and the protestors. On the other hand, the Rangers and police contradicted the allegations and said that they did not open straight fire at the protestors and the killing was the result of their own fire.
“The Rangers opened straight fire at us,” claimed one of the protestors Ismail Mehsud. “We were only staging a protest against the detention of innocent residents as it is our right and we were not hurting anyone during the protest.”
The victim was identified as Atiqur Rehman, 29, and Tahir, 25, was reported injured. Gadap SP Rao Anwar told The Express Tribune that the victim was a resident of Baldia Town and hailed from Hazara division. “The claims of the protestors are baseless as the victim was killed before the arrival of the police and Rangers at the scene,” SP Anwar said. “The injured person was also wounded in the firing by the protestors. They even attacked us when we reached the site but fortunately no one from the Rangers or police was hurt.”
Around three to four hundred residents of Kunwari Colony and its surrounding areas came out to support a call for a strike announced by a previously unknown group, the Muttahida Qaumi Pakhtoon Ittehad (MQPI). They first gathered at Kati Pahari from where they gradually moved to main Manghopir. They burnt tyres on the main road that falls in the jurisdiction of Gadap Town. They also pelted passing vehicles with stones and blocked the main thoroughfare for hours. Several vehicles were also damaged as the mob attacked them with stones.
Witnesses said that the protestors also fired into the air. According to witness accounts, the law enforcers used tear gas and aerial firing to disperse the crowd.
The Rangers detained over two dozen protestors for attacking the law enforcers and disturbing the law and order situation in the locality. But most of them were released after initial investigations.
The family of the victim did not take his body to hospital for legal formalities. The police have registered a case by nominating unidentified men, the SP added.
Wednesday’s violence was in reaction to a six-hour door-to-door search operation in which around 500 men, including some women, were taken into custody.
According to some reports, some of the suspects who were detained were injured in fighting with the security forces in the tribal areas. They had come to Karachi for medical treatment.
According to unconfirmed reports, nearly 90 per cent of the people detained on Tuesday have been released. “A maximum strength of the detainees has been released,” said a Rangers spokesman. “Now we have only those who were taken into the custody with weapons and we have evidence against them.”
Talking about the protest on Wednesday, the spokesman said that most of the people had been released. “No one was killed or injured by the firing of the Rangers,” he said. “The Rangers only dispersed them by using routine practice.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2010.