Lucky escape: Lawmaker survives gun attack
Saifuddin Khalid was the second MQM lawmaker to be targeted in a month
Saifuddin Khalid was the second MQM lawmaker to be targeted in a month. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Panic gripped the city after unidentified assailants opened fire at the vehicle of Muttahida Qaumi Movement legislator, Saifuddin Khalid, in District Central on Friday evening. The lawmaker remained safe in the attack.
MPA Khalid was elected from PS-94, which covers the Orangi Town neighbourhood, after MQM MPA Raza Haider was gunned down in August 2010 in Nazimabad. In addition to Haider, another MQM MPA from Orangi Town, Manzar Imam, has also lost his life in a targeted attack in Orangi Town in 2013.
The incident occurred in Sector 11-A in North Karachi, within the limits of Sir Syed police station. Police officials and witnesses said that at least six assailants on three motorcycles opened fire at the vehicle. "MPA Khalid was travelling towards his constituency [Orangi Town] when armed motorcyclists attacked his vehicle," Sir Syed DSP Altaf Hussain told The Express Tribune. "He [MPA Khalid] remained unhurt in the attack while at least three bullets struck his car."
Police officials said that the assailants fled after the police guards accompanying the lawmaker opened retaliatory fire. No one was hurt as the bullets only struck his vehicle.
A large contingent of law enforcers reached the site to collect evidence. DSP Altaf Hussain said that the motive behind the attack has yet to be ascertained as the investigation is in the preliminary stage.
This was the second such attack on an MQM lawmaker in a month. Exactly a month ago, MQM MNA Rashid Godil was targeted near his residence in Bahadurabad, and was critically wounded.
The party strongly condemned the targeted attack on its MPA and demanded the government arrest the culprits. "Luckily, Khalid survived the attack," said MQM leader Aminul Haq, while speaking to The Express Tribune. "It is the responsibility of the government to arrest the culprits and protect the party's leaders as we have already lost three sitting MPAs in Karachi in the past."
Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2015.
Panic gripped the city after unidentified assailants opened fire at the vehicle of Muttahida Qaumi Movement legislator, Saifuddin Khalid, in District Central on Friday evening. The lawmaker remained safe in the attack.
MPA Khalid was elected from PS-94, which covers the Orangi Town neighbourhood, after MQM MPA Raza Haider was gunned down in August 2010 in Nazimabad. In addition to Haider, another MQM MPA from Orangi Town, Manzar Imam, has also lost his life in a targeted attack in Orangi Town in 2013.
The incident occurred in Sector 11-A in North Karachi, within the limits of Sir Syed police station. Police officials and witnesses said that at least six assailants on three motorcycles opened fire at the vehicle. "MPA Khalid was travelling towards his constituency [Orangi Town] when armed motorcyclists attacked his vehicle," Sir Syed DSP Altaf Hussain told The Express Tribune. "He [MPA Khalid] remained unhurt in the attack while at least three bullets struck his car."
Police officials said that the assailants fled after the police guards accompanying the lawmaker opened retaliatory fire. No one was hurt as the bullets only struck his vehicle.
A large contingent of law enforcers reached the site to collect evidence. DSP Altaf Hussain said that the motive behind the attack has yet to be ascertained as the investigation is in the preliminary stage.
This was the second such attack on an MQM lawmaker in a month. Exactly a month ago, MQM MNA Rashid Godil was targeted near his residence in Bahadurabad, and was critically wounded.
The party strongly condemned the targeted attack on its MPA and demanded the government arrest the culprits. "Luckily, Khalid survived the attack," said MQM leader Aminul Haq, while speaking to The Express Tribune. "It is the responsibility of the government to arrest the culprits and protect the party's leaders as we have already lost three sitting MPAs in Karachi in the past."
Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2015.