Two KDA officials killed in Karachi’s Civic Center

KARACHI: Two employees of the Karachi Development Authority were killed and another wounded in a firing incident at the KDA office in Karachi’s Civic Center on Tuesday within the limits of New Town police station.

Police said that deceased 53-year-old Waseem Raza, son of Mohsin Naqvi, was shot twice on his chest while deceased 54-year-old Waseem Usmani, son of Saleem Usmani, was shot once. Deceased Waseem Raza was the additional assistant director KDA Land Department while deceased Waseem Usmani was the assistant director at KDA. The injured person, 54-year-old Muhammad Hafeezul Hassan, son of Hanif, a superintendent at KDA, was receiving medical treatment.

Following the unusual tragic incident, ambulances from different welfare organisations reached the crime scene and rushed the casualties to a private hospital on the National Stadium Road where both the victims succumbed to their injuries during treatment. Their bodies were later rushed to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center for medico-legal formalities.

Reacting on information, panic and fear gripped the Civic Center. A heavy contingent of law enforcers, including Rangers and police, also reached the crime scene and cordoned off the area and inquired about the incident. Police said that the tragic incident took place at the office of the KDA assistant director Waseem Usmani located on the third floor of the Civic Center.

Police said that they also found a pistol and five empty shells near the injured person, which suggested that the injured person shot and killed the victims. The police have also detained a suspect, namely Imran Shah, and initiated questioning from him.

The police, while quoting the initial investigation, said that the injured person who sustained a bullet injury in his chest entered the victim’s office and asked the other staff members to leave the office and then opened fire at the victims. “Apparently, it seems that Hafeez after shooting both the directors, shot himself and tried to change the nature of the incident,” witnesses said. “Both the deceased directors got promotion a few months ago but the suspect Hafeez did not and they had disputed with each other over the promotion issue and apparently, Hafeez killed them and injured himself.”

The police were also trying to obtain the CCTV footage to probe the case. The officer said that the police were also waiting to record the statement of the injured suspect as he was currently unconscious. The officer said that it was also being checked how the suspect entered the building despite the installation of scanners and CCTV cameras. The officer said that a pistol used in the firing has been recovered.

Geo News reported past midnight that the police have registered a case and recorded Hafeez’s statement. Hafeez told the police that he carried the pistol to office and it went off when the deceased officials tried to get hold of him.