No letup in target killings in Karachi

[CaptainJackSparrow]

No letup in target killings in Karachi
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* Three more targeted by ‘unknown’ motorcyclists

* Authorities claim to have arrested over four dozen suspects during search operations

By Atif Raza

KARACHI: Although the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and paramilitary forces were put on high alert and the government imposed a ban on pillion riding, there was no letup in the incidents of target killings on Sunday as three more people were gunned down by unknown motorcyclists and several others wounded.

Authorities claimed to have arrested over four dozens suspects during various search operations in different areas of the metropolis. They, however, were unable to arrest any of the culprits involved in incidents. They also claimed to have recovered weapons and drugs from the possessions of apprehended suspects.

On Sunday, the incidents of target killings took place in Orangi Town, PIB Colony, Nazimabad and Lyari where at least three people were killed and five others wounded. Yet again ‘unknown’ motorcyclists were involved in all the incidents. Killings continued despite the orders of city police chief, Akhtar Hussain Gorchani for the police officials and personnel to remain on high alert and take stern action against culprits involved in firing incidents. Gorchani had also warned that senior police officials would be punished if any untoward incident occurred within their respective jurisdictions.

Meanwhile, a man was killed while two Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) workers, including General Secretary for District West Siddique Akbar, wounded in separate firing incidents in Orangi Town within Pirabad police station limits.

In the first incident, a man identified as Ibrahim, 42, son of Mehroz Khan was gunned down while on his way home to Pareshan Chowk in Orangi’s Mominabad area. The motorcyclists shot and killed him at Frontier Morr. He was shot once each in his head and chest and succumbed to the injuries on the spot. The body was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and later handed over to the family.

Shortly after this, another incident of firing occurred within Pirabad police limits, in which the motorcyclists targeted Siddique Akbar, the General Secretary of Pakistan Peoples Party District West and his companion Haroon, 46 near Kati Pahari area, Orangi. Both victims sustained multiple bullet injuries and were taken to a private hospital.

In PIB Colony, 26-year-old Shakeel, son of Kareeb-ur-Rehman was shot dead by unidentified culprits riding a motorcycle. Police officials said that deceased used to work as an accountant at the rickshaw stand of Old Sabzi Mandi area, adding that he was on his way home to Pir Bukhari Colony of PIB Colony when unidentified motorcyclists targeted him. Police have registered a case against unidentified men on the complaint of victim’s father and initiated the probe.

In yet another incident, a youngster was shot dead near Inquiry Office within the jurisdiction of Nazimabad police station. Police officials said that the body of victim was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and police were trying to ascertain his identity.

In Lyari, three people, namely Naqeeb-ur-Rehman, son of Habib Ullah; Sher Khan, son of Haji Ghulam Khan and Aslam Uddin, son of Kamal Uddin were wounded when unidentified persons sprayed them with bullets at Bihar Colony within Chakiwara police precincts. The victims were taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi.

Search operations: On the other hand, the LEAs and paramilitary forces claimed to have apprehended over four dozen suspects in search operations at various parts of the city including Pak Colony, Essa Nagri, Dalmia, Shanti Nagar, Mastan Para, Karim Buksh Para and Sohrab Goth. The law enforcers also claimed to have recovered a huge cache of weapons including kalashnikovs, repeaters, pistols, ammunition, a bulletproof jacket and drugs.

The search operations were conducted by local police, Crime Investigation Department, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary while detainees were shifted to undisclosed locations for further investigation. Unidentified persons also set an ambulance on fire near Ahsanabad police post against the operation and apprehensions of suspects from Sohrab Goth.

DSP Iftikhar Lodhi said the operation was conducted in the area on the information of the presence of Sher Zaman Mehsud, Azam Mehsud and others nominated in Rao Anwar suicide attack case. SHO Sohrab Goth Abdul Ghaffar Jumani said Sohrab Goth police registered an FIR (255/12) on the complaint of SI Malik Javed against Azam Mehsud, Sher Zaman Mehsud, Zubair Mehsud and others under sections 302, 324/34, 427, 109 and 7 ATA and initiated the probe.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

Karachi’s orgy of violence


Everybody talks of owning Karachi, but then those who proclaim it most, for unknown reasons expose this city to periodic cycles of violence. On 27 March two activists of Karachi’s biggest political stakeholders were killed in PIB Colony and the killers were named to be activists belonging to a party that holds power in Lyari. Yet for some strange reasons, innocent members of a particular ethnicity hailing from KP were killed and their vehicles were burned.

Thereafter for next 5 days over 30 Pakistani citizens were killed and at one of the funerals, pamphlets advocating a separate province carved out of Sindh were distributed. Bhatta or forced donations are collected from traders all across Karachi, while state looks the other way. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies, whose salaries are paid by tax collected from citizens, seem to be in cahoots with criminal gangs that rule and loot citizens at will.

After 30 sacrifices of citizens killed in random firing, the blood thirsty mafia dons or Count Dracula and monsters in the form of men will call for peace to be restored, till next time when the same cycle of death is repeated. It is not just a human tragedy but economic paralysis which is inflicted upon Karachi by those who claim to be its stakeholders. The writ of the state has been raped so frequently in Karachi, that it has become a concrete jungle where the powerful kill the weak, with no fear of accountability and law has become hostage to politics of violence.

Karachi’s orgy of violence