Tension grips Karachi after 12 die in shoot-out

Tension gripped various parts of the metropolis as 12 persons including an activist of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were gunned down in different incidents of targeted killings on Saturday. The unabated targeted killings, that started Thursday evening after a protest call given by Pakistan Peoples' Party against the Supreme Court decision, has so far claimed 19 lives in different parts of the city.
An activist of MQM was shot dead near Bombay Bazaar in the limits of Kharadar police station. Armed assailants sprayed 23-year-old Khurram son of Saleem with bullets at G Allana Road, Bombay Bazaar in Kharadar. As a result, Khurram died on the spot. The body was shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) for post-mortem.
SHO Ghulam Nabi said the victim was activist of MQM and used to run a mobile shop in the same area where the incident took place. After the incident, tension gripped Kharadar as miscreants torched the office of Peoples Amn Committee, a passenger bus at Tower and a rickshaw and truck near Memon Jamaat Khana. Heavy contingents of police and Rangers rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control but failed in their efforts as the miscreants resorted to aerial firing which continued till filing of this report. Jodia Bazaar, Boulton Market, Jama Cloth and other markets were closed due to uncertain condition.
In another incident, two youngsters were shot dead in Shoe Market at Almari Street in the limits of Garden police station. Armed men shot dead 28-year-old Adnan son of Azmat and Natwar, 22, son of Harjeewan. Police said Adnan was the resident of Ranchore Line while Natwar was living at Hindu Para, adding that they had no political affiliation. No case was registered till filing of this report.
Qadir Hussain Mubarak, 50 an ecclesiastic of Ali Akbar Imambargah was shot dead at Iqbal Market in Orangi Town area. The victim was targeted by two armed men when he was busy in his work at Imambargah situated at sector 11 1/2 Orangi Town. The body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) for medico legal formalities and later handed over to his heirs. No case was registered till filing of this report.
An 'informer' was gunned down in the limits of Bantwa Nagar Azizabad police station. The victim Noman Memon, 26, who was the resident of Kutiana Muhalla Bantwa Nagar, received multiple shots when he was sitting near his house along with his friend. Resultantly, he died on the spot. The body was shifted to ASH and later handed over to his family. Police said the victim, who had several criminal cases on him and released from jail a few months ago, was a police informer and it has been assumed that he was murdered because of this act.
A bullet-riddled body was found at Super Highway in Sacchal police precincts. The victim, whose identity was yet to be ascertained, received single bullet on his head. The body was transported to ASH for autopsy and later moved to Edhi morgue for identification Similarly, another bullet-riddled body was recovered from Malir River in the limits of Shah Latif police station. The identity of the victim was yet to be ascertained.
Police said the victim, who was kidnapped and later murdered, received single shot in his head. The body was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and later shifted to Edhi morgue for identification. A case was registered against unknown culprits on the complaint of the State and initiated probe.
A 25-year-old security guard Shams-ul-Haq was killed near Ghani Chowrangi in the limits of Site B police station. The victim, who was deployed at a private company, received a gunshot from his own rifle during cleaning. The body was shifted to ASH. Police said the victim was the resident of Nazimabad and hailed from Kohat. Some four persons including an activist of ANP and a brother of notorious gangster Muddasir Chief were killed in Pehalwan Goth at Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
A brother of Muddasir Chief namely Musavir Chief was targeted when he was sitting along with other cohorts at his office located near Sakeena Imambargah. Resultantly, he and his friend Danish died on the spot. Miscreants, reacting to the killing of Musavir, started firing, leaving two more persons including an activist of Awami National Party Asad and a 12-year old boy Muhammad Hussain killed and three others namely Sohail Baloch, Dilawar and Adnan injured.