Tariq Road shopping mall’s watchman shot dead

At least eight to ten members of a ‘tala tor’ gang killed a watchman of a shopping mall at one of the major shopping hubs in Karachi.

The incident took place at Dubai Shopping Mall located on Tariq Road on the night between Saturday and Sunday. The incident occurred when the watchman offered resistance to a mugging bid. The robbers wounded another watchman of the same market for putting up resistance.

Four watchmen were deployed at the shopping mall on a night shift when an eight to ten members of a lock-breaking gang entered the mall while breaking the roof of a washroom, said a watchman who has been survived the attack. “The robbers shot and killed one and wounded another over offering resistance.”

The dead watchman has been identified as 26-year-old Zahid Khan and the injured as Munirullah. The casualties were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for medico-legal formalities and medical treatment.

The deceased was a father of a minor son and hailed from Buner. He had been serving as a watchman in the same mall for the last 14 years. “They [armed men] first held two watchmen hostage at gunpoint on the ground floor and then held two more watchmen hostage on the first floor of the mall,” said Khan’s brother Uzairullah. “The robbers hit Munirullah’s face with a iron rod and injured him after he offered resistance and later shot and killed Zahid Khan over putting up resistance.”

The suspects later managed to escape from the scene. The family of the dead watchman warned that they would approach a court if the police failed to give them justice. They also demanded of the Sindh government to take notice of the incident.

On the other hand, shopkeepers claimed that CCTV cameras were installed in the mall and the footage had already been shared with the law enforcement agencies. The shopkeepers also complained that incidents of theft had become a routine matter in the area, saying that the ‘tala tor’ group had recently looted two shops in the area.

They also warned that they would equip the watchmen with arms and ammunition if the police and Rangers failed to give protection to their lives and properties. Police officials said that a case had been registered and investigations were continuing.