KARACHI - A supporter of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and a fruit-vendor were killed while over half dozen others were injured during two separate clashes in Garden and Baloch Colony areas on Saturday.
In Baloch Colony, a fruit-vendor identified as 22-year-old Abdul Qadeer was killed and four others were injured. The injured included two brothers namely Abdul Samad and Abdul Rauf, a milk shopkeeper namely Ilyas and a member of the rival group Owais.
Police officials said that both the groups belong to Pashtun families and clashed with each other over personal enmity. They said that the two groups also collided on Saturday over personal enmity and during exchange of firing. Following the incident, heavy contingent of Rangers and police reached the site and shifted the victims to the JPMC where members of the Owais group reached and also tried to kill the rivalry group members.
They also resorted to indiscriminate firing inside the hospital which also caused panic and fear among the doctors, paramedical staff and patients. The Rangers personnel deputed at the hospital security immediately took action and apprehended four suspects along with weapons. The suspects were shifted to undisclosed location for further questioning.
A young man was killed and at least three others were wounded during an armed clash between the two groups in Usmanabad locality of old city area within the jurisdiction of Garden police station.
There were reports that the clash occurred between the members of MQM and outlawed Peoples Amn Committee and the deceased was associated with the MQM.
However, police officials said that nothing could say about the affiliation of the groups with the MQM and the PAC and affiliation of the victim with the MQM as police were busy controlling the law and order situation.