NewsMay 08 , 2016
Rights activist Khurram Zaki gunned down in Karachi
KARACHI: Gunmen killed two people, including religious scholar and rights activist Syed Khurram Zaki, in what appeared to be a sectarian attack in North Karachi late on Saturday night.
Zaki and a friend, Rao Khalid, were sitting at a restaurant in Sector 11-G of North Karachi when two attackers arrived there on a motorcycle, sprayed with bullets and fled, said SHO Iftekhar of Sir Syed Police Station.
The two friends along with a passer-by, identified as Aslam, were wounded and taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where Khalid died. Zaki was later moved to Aga Khan Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The deceased suffered multiple bullet wounds to their torsos. The attackers had used a 9mm pistol. Ten spent bullet shells were found from the scene of the crime and sent to the forensic division of the Sindh Police.
SHO Iftekhar said Zaki had recently shifted to North Karachi from Gulistan-e-Jauhar. The victim was a Zakir, who delivered sermons at Majalis. Rao Khalid was also a resident of North Karachi.
Investigators said the double murder seemed to have occurred in a sectarian attack as both the deceased belonged to the Shia Community; however, they said they would investigate the murders from other aspects too.
Members and organisations of the Shia community, including the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, had strongly protested the killings and demanded the arrest of the culprits.
According to social media reports, Syed Khurram Zaki was born on March 26, 1976. He was a research scholar, journalist, blogger, and human rights and civil rights activist.
Zaki joined the BTL (Direct Marketing) Division of Interflow Communications as Brand Activation Manager in 2002, then moved to Airwaves Media, and worked for private TV channels as director/producer in the current affairs and infotainment department.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) condemned the killing, demanding immediate arrest of the murderers.
“Khurram Zaki’s murder is condemnable. Incidents of targeted killing are occurring in spite of on-going operation in the city,” said the MQM’s Coordination Committee in a statement.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk
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