Nine killed in fresh Karachi killings
July 20, 2011
KARACHI: Nine people, including two activists of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), were killed in another episode of target killings in the city on Tuesday while some cases of violence were also reported from Nazimabad and Gulbahar areas. Tuesday’s toll took the total number of killings in the last two days to 16.
On Monday night, armed men had targeted ASWJ activists, Hafeez and Sajid alias Mulla, in Peetal Gali of Gulbahar area. Tension developed in the area henceforth. The funeral of two activists took place on Tuesday afternoon in Rizvia. During the funeral, unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate firing. Another unidentified group retaliated to the firing at the same place. Later, armed men also targeted an Imambargah situated in Rizvia.
In the violence, three people, including Aqeel Ahmed, an ASWJ activist, were injured. They were rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where Aqeel Ahmed succumbed to his injuries.
A contingent of the police and Rangers reached the spot and after hours long resistance brought the situation under control. Police said that they had rounded up some 40 suspects from the area, including those belonging to the ASWJ, and also recovered arms from them.
Meanwhile, ASWJ activists and supporters launched a protest in the area and also at the hospital. The situation deteriorated when an ASWJ activist was targeted in Firdous Colony, Gulbahar. Police said that Saleem Ahmed was targeted when he was returning home after offering Asr prayers at the Lal Masjid. Two armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire on him, killing him on the spot.
Once again tension developed in the area with armed men resorting to aerial firing, forcing traders to close their businesses. An ASWJ spokesman confirmed the death of four activists in two days and said that the party would carry out a protest on the main M A Jinnah Road over the killings and would demand the arrest of killers.
Meanwhile, in the Kalakot area, a tortured and bullet-riddled body of a man packed in a gunny bag was found from a spot near the Aath Chowk. Police said they retrieved the body on Tuesday morning and later shifted it to hospital. The deceased was identified as Asim Katchi, a resident of Agra Taj Colony. The crane driver was abducted on Monday and his tortured body was found on Tuesday.
In Al-Falah area, the body of a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist was found. Police said that the deceased was identified as Iftekhar, 22, a resident of Gulshan-e-Fatima, Malir Halt.
They added that on Monday night, Iftekhar had left his house for some work but did not return. His body was later found from a dump in Azeempura. In another incident, an unidentified man was targeted in the Kharadar area. It was found that on Tuesday morning, three people riding a motorbike stopped at the Farriya Street here. The person seated in the centre was taken off the vehicle and shot dead on the spot. The other two motorcyclists fled. The deceased sustained three bullet wounds on various parts of his body.
From the Mohajir Camp in Baldia Town, the tortured body of a man, who was around 30-32 years of age, was found. In the Korangi Industrial Area (KIA), Ghulam Fareed was targeted. Police said that the deceased was sitting at a pan shop in Bilal Colony when armed men riding a motorcycle fired bullets on him, killing him on the spot. The labourer, who hailed from Larkana, was a resident of Sector-8B, Korangi. Unconfirmed reports said Fareed was a member of the Jeay Sindh.
In Sharea Faisal police limits, armed men targeted an employee of the Banking Court. The deceased was identified as Ghulam Hussain, who was killed on Tuesday evening in Block-18 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
Police said that the deceased, who hailed from Kambhar, was a bailiff. He was on his way home from work, when armed men on motorcycles opened fire on him, killing him on the spot. In Peerabad, armed men targeted Police Constable (PC) Muzzafar Khan. Police said that the deceased was present outside his house in Rabbani Mohallah, Frontier Colony, Peerabad, when armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire on him, killing him on the spot. Probers termed the murder of PC Khan, a guard serving at Bilawal House, a part of target killings and added that the deceased had multiple bullet wounds on his body. Till our going to the press, the situation in many parts of the city remained tense.
On Monday night, armed men had targeted ASWJ activists, Hafeez and Sajid alias Mulla, in Peetal Gali of Gulbahar area. Tension developed in the area henceforth. The funeral of two activists took place on Tuesday afternoon in Rizvia. During the funeral, unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate firing. Another unidentified group retaliated to the firing at the same place. Later, armed men also targeted an Imambargah situated in Rizvia.
In the violence, three people, including Aqeel Ahmed, an ASWJ activist, were injured. They were rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where Aqeel Ahmed succumbed to his injuries.
A contingent of the police and Rangers reached the spot and after hours long resistance brought the situation under control. Police said that they had rounded up some 40 suspects from the area, including those belonging to the ASWJ, and also recovered arms from them.
Meanwhile, ASWJ activists and supporters launched a protest in the area and also at the hospital. The situation deteriorated when an ASWJ activist was targeted in Firdous Colony, Gulbahar. Police said that Saleem Ahmed was targeted when he was returning home after offering Asr prayers at the Lal Masjid. Two armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire on him, killing him on the spot.
Once again tension developed in the area with armed men resorting to aerial firing, forcing traders to close their businesses. An ASWJ spokesman confirmed the death of four activists in two days and said that the party would carry out a protest on the main M A Jinnah Road over the killings and would demand the arrest of killers.
Meanwhile, in the Kalakot area, a tortured and bullet-riddled body of a man packed in a gunny bag was found from a spot near the Aath Chowk. Police said they retrieved the body on Tuesday morning and later shifted it to hospital. The deceased was identified as Asim Katchi, a resident of Agra Taj Colony. The crane driver was abducted on Monday and his tortured body was found on Tuesday.
In Al-Falah area, the body of a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist was found. Police said that the deceased was identified as Iftekhar, 22, a resident of Gulshan-e-Fatima, Malir Halt.
They added that on Monday night, Iftekhar had left his house for some work but did not return. His body was later found from a dump in Azeempura. In another incident, an unidentified man was targeted in the Kharadar area. It was found that on Tuesday morning, three people riding a motorbike stopped at the Farriya Street here. The person seated in the centre was taken off the vehicle and shot dead on the spot. The other two motorcyclists fled. The deceased sustained three bullet wounds on various parts of his body.
From the Mohajir Camp in Baldia Town, the tortured body of a man, who was around 30-32 years of age, was found. In the Korangi Industrial Area (KIA), Ghulam Fareed was targeted. Police said that the deceased was sitting at a pan shop in Bilal Colony when armed men riding a motorcycle fired bullets on him, killing him on the spot. The labourer, who hailed from Larkana, was a resident of Sector-8B, Korangi. Unconfirmed reports said Fareed was a member of the Jeay Sindh.
In Sharea Faisal police limits, armed men targeted an employee of the Banking Court. The deceased was identified as Ghulam Hussain, who was killed on Tuesday evening in Block-18 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
Police said that the deceased, who hailed from Kambhar, was a bailiff. He was on his way home from work, when armed men on motorcycles opened fire on him, killing him on the spot. In Peerabad, armed men targeted Police Constable (PC) Muzzafar Khan. Police said that the deceased was present outside his house in Rabbani Mohallah, Frontier Colony, Peerabad, when armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire on him, killing him on the spot. Probers termed the murder of PC Khan, a guard serving at Bilawal House, a part of target killings and added that the deceased had multiple bullet wounds on his body. Till our going to the press, the situation in many parts of the city remained tense.
