News
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Violence grips Karachi again* 12 more fall prey to target killing
* Locals say police, rangers personnel watched silently as unidentified men continued firing on moving buses
Staff Report
KARACHI: Targeted killings based on ethnic lines resurfaced in the provincial capital on Friday, resulting in 12 people belonging to different parties being killed across the city. Routine life in Orangi Town, Qasba Morr and other surrounding areas came to a standstill, with locals preferring to stay indoors. Locals told Daily Times that they heard aerial firing in the area despite the deployment of a heavy contingent of law enforcers.
The locals claimed that police and rangers personnel become silent viewers when unidentified armed men continued firing on moving buses. Several residents claimed the government had itself sparked the new wave of shooting for its own political interests.
Retired Major Iqbal Kashmiri, son of Ghani Kashmiri, was shot dead near Rabia City, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, within the jurisdiction of the Sharah-e-Faisal police station. The victim was a pilot of Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah’s helicopter and also an employee of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The incident took place at around 11:30am as Iqbal made his way back home from work. Unidentified assailants shot and killed him. Police officials, quoting eyewitnesses, said the two culprits were riding a motorcycle and had opened fire on the victim’s car from behind. As a result, he sustained two bullet wounds and died shortly afterwards. The major’s body was moved to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and later handed over to his family after an autopsy.
Police also found four empty shells of a 30.calibre pistol from the crime scene. Police high-ups, including East Zone DIG Commandant Shaukat Shah, reached the site. The authorities have registered FIR No 37/11 against unidentified assailants on the complaint of the victim’s daughter, Alia, and started investigations.
Also, an MQM activist was gunned down at Jamia Milia Road, Gulshan Rafi, in the limits of the Al-Falah police station. The victim, Muhammad Zafar, was standing near his home when unidentified men ambushed him and fired at him, resulting in the victim dying on the spot. SHO Adeel Afzal said the victim was the activist of the MQM and it was a target killing incident. Tension prevailed in Malir area after the incident.
In another incident, an activist of the Pakistan People’s Party was gunned down inside a barbershop in the jurisdiction of the Sharah Noor Jahan police station. The victim was identified as Naveed alias Noori, son of Sami, a resident of the area. His body was moved to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Police said the victim was the deputy secretary general of district west.
Similarly, an activist of the People’s Student Federation (PSF), Zubair, was gunned down in North Karachi within the limits of the Khawaja Ajmair Nagri police station. Earlier, two people were shot dead in separate incidents in Korangi Industrial Area police precincts. The victims included a fast food restaurant owner Muhammad Shafiq alias Munna, 40, a resident of the same area. He died on the spot after unidentified assailants shot him thrice. The other victim was an elderly man who appeared to be a Pakhtoon. He was gunned down near the Jam Sadiq Bridge. His body was shifted to the Edhi morgue.
Separately, 40-year-old Rustam Khan was gunned down near his residence in the Frontier Colony within the limits of the Orangi Town police station. Also, a 35-year-old man was gunned down near the Malang Hotel within the jurisdiction of the SITE A Section police station.
Also in the Orangi police limits, 60-year-old Muhammad Yousuf, son of Amjad, was shot dead and two others were wounded when unidentified assailants opened fire at locals as they returned home after offering Friday prayers in Bukhari Colony. Police shifted the dead and the injured to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Another ethnic Pukhtoon, later identified as Saleem, was killed and another man injured near the Noorani Park in Sector 7-A within the jurisdiction of the Orangi Town police station.
Another person was killed and one injured in firing at Qasba Morr within the jurisdiction of the Orangi Town police station.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk