KARACHI – At least 10 people, including two activists of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), were killed in separate acts of violence and target killings in different parts of the provincial metropolis on Sunday, while authorities issued shoot-on-sight orders for the miscreants.
Three people were found shot dead in Nagori Goth along the Super Highway in the limits of Gadap City Police Station.
Police said the area people spotted the bullet-riddled bodies in a deserted, bushy area.
SP Jan Muhammad Barhamani said the victims, yet to be identified, were probably kidnapped and shot dead. He said according to the area people, they saw three vehicles and heard multiple gunshots before finding the bodies. Legs and hands of the victims were tied with rope. He said the victims were having beards and appeared to be in mid-20s.
SHO Raja Aslam said, “The bodies have been moved to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for medico-legal formalities and we have got fingerprints of the victims to trace out their family and ascertain identity. Victims appeared to be Pakhtoons and police shifted their bodies to an Edhi morgue after completing formalities. Police have registered an FIR no. 113/12 against unidentified men.”
Raja said five days ago a similar incident took place in the Memon Goth area where unidentified men killed two youth in the same manner and their identification could not be made so far.
SHO Memon Goth Rao Khalid said police were unable to trace the victims’ heirs either.
If the pattern of killings over the last five days is to tell anything, police said, it could be the work of one group. According to eyewitness and police sources, the culprits used around two or three vehicles, including a double-cabin.
Amid the deteriorating law and order situation, Additional Inspector General of Police Ghulam Shabbir Shaikh has issued ‘shoot on sight’ orders for the miscreants.
Separately, police recovered two bodies from Nullah Stop Lyari in the jurisdiction of Baghdadi Police Station. The incident took place in the wee hours of Sunday. Unidentified men on four motorcycles appeared on the scene, pushed down two men from motorcycles and opened fire on them. Both died on the spot. After committing the gory crime, the culprits managed to flee from the scene. On getting information, police rushed to the scene only to find dead bodies.
SHO Ghulam Nabi Afridi said the deceased Asif Patni (30) was a resident of Kharadar while Ayub (29) was a resident of Liaquat Colony Kalri. He said both victims were cousins and they were missing since Saturday. He said victim Asif and his brother were MQM workers, adding that initial police probe revealed that both were killed due to the ongoing ethnic violence in Karachi, especially in the Old City areas. The incident sent a wave of panic among the people of Kharadar and its surrounding areas. No case was registered till filing of the report Sunday night.
A watchman was shot dead near Allah Rakha Park in the limits of Kharadar Police Station. Syed Zaheer Abbas (25) was a watchman at Noorani building near Allah Rakha Park Kharadar.
Police said the victim was on his way to Noorani Building Kharadar for his duty when unidentified armed men on a motorbike intercepted him and opened fire. He received three bullets and died on the spot. The body was shifted to CHK for legal formalities.
SHO Agha Asad Ullah said the victim was also performing duty as a watchman at a motor garage in the same area, adding the motive behind his murder was yet not known. He said it could also be a case of personal enmity or sectarian killing. Agha said police, starting investigation of the case, has recorded statement of some eyewitnesses.
Separately, two bullet-riddled bodies of a man and a woman were recovered from Akbar Farm House in Ayub Goth in Sohrab Goth police precincts. DSP Iftikhar Lodhi said the man, Javed, was a watchman at the same farmhouse. The woman was identified as Shabana. Lodhi said the motive behind the incident was not known.
The bodies were shifted to ASH for legal formalities and later Javed’s body was handed over to his family. Lodhi said as per an eyewitness, unidentified men came to a farm house on motorcycles and left the farm after some time. He said those people could be behind the double murder. He said investigations were underway. No case was registered till filing of the report.
Meanwhile, in another incident, police recovered a dead body with torture marks from Chandni Chowk in the limits of Saeedabad Police Station. The victim could not be immediately identified.
A police constable was shot dead while his son injured in an armed attack in Surjani Town. The incident took place in sector L-1 where PC 45-year-old Naseem Khan was standing near his home, when unidentified armed men on a motorcycle opened fire on him, resultantly he and his son namely 10-year-old Sameer received bullet injuries. Police shifted the injured to a hospital where Naseem Khan succumbed to his injuries.
The Nation Monitoring adds: Karachi police said that traders may shoot extortionist to defend themselves.
Talking to media, Additional IG Ghulam Shabbir said that the traders may shoot extortionists and hooligans in self-defence while the police were also taking effective measures to and arrested several extortionists.
He said that the police would also provide protection to traders. He said the target killing in Karachi was not only a political issue, but people were also settling personal enmities.