KARACHI, May 30: At least eight men were gunned down in separate attacks, some having political and sectarian dimensions to them, in different parts of the city on Wednesday.

Syed Mehdi Raza, 27, and his brother-in-law Ahmer Raza, 22, were sprayed with bullets soon after they opened their workshop in Haryana Colony of Orangi at 8am, said an official at the Mominabad police station.

Three men riding a motorcycle pulled up at the workshop where spare parts of lifts were made and sped away after opening fire on the two relatives, said SSP-West Amir Farooqui.

The victims were rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where they were pronounced dead, the police said.

The SSP described the incident as an act of targeted killing apparently on sectarian grounds. Both victims were residents of Ancholi Society, the police said.

Following the targeted killing, the police detained over half a dozen suspects belonging to the banned militant outfit of Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan in Orangi Town. They questioned the suspects to get a clue to the killing.

The incident caused tension in various Shia-dominated areas in Orangi and Federal B Area.

The funeral prayers of both victims will be offered on Thursday after Zuhar at Masjid-o-Imambargah Khairul Amal, Ancholi.

Two found shot dead

Two young friends, who had gone missing on Tuesday night, were found shot dead near the Timber Market on Wednesday, said an official at the Napier police station.

He quoted area people as saying that six men riding motorbikes had dumped the bodies on Syed Mehmood Shah Road and moved away in the early hours of Wednesday.

Napier SHO Imdad Khwaja said that two slips found at the crime-scene read: “Jo mohajir subay ka ghaddar hai wo maut ka haqdar hai”.

The victims, later identified as Farhan Ahmed, 25, and Abdul Rehman Baloch, 26, were shot thrice, the police said, adding that they sustained gunshot wounds to their head and chest.

The bodies were shifted to the Civil Hospital Karachi for medico-legal formalities.

The victims were residents of Angara Goth, B Area, Liaquatabad, the police said.

One of the victims, Farhan, worked in the income tax department on daily wages. He was the only breadwinner of the family after his father’s death five years ago.

The police investigators said the victims were not associated with any political party. An FIR (97/2012) was later registered at the Napier police station against unidentified persons on behalf of the state.

MQM worker gunned down

A worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was killed at Shah Faisal Colony No 5, said police.

Imran Baig, 24, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting near his home, said an official at the Shah Faisal Colony police station.

The victim, who was a former worker of the Sunni Tehrik, had recently joined the MQM unit-109, according to the police.

They said the victim had joined the MQM a month back after his release on bail in a murder case. For medico-legal formalities, the body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where a large number of MQM workers gathered.

Following the murder, tension gripped Shah Faisal Colony and surrounding areas that reverberated with gunfire forcing traders to pull down shutters.

Woman killed

A woman was shot dead in a gun attack on her car in Model Colony, police said.

Nuzhat, 40, was going along with her husband, Tahir Abbas, when armed men riding a motorbike opened fire on their car and sped away, said an official. He said the victim’s husband, a businessman, remained safe.

An FIR (66/2012) was later lodged at the Model Colony police station against unidentified men on his complaint, the official added.

The police investigators said the woman hailed from Chakwal, Punjab. They added that investigation was under way to find the exact motive for the killing.

Body found

The body of a young man was found in the Lyari River within the remit of the Shershah police station.

The victim wearing shalwar had been killed apparently around four days ago, the police said.

Shershah SHO Malik Nawaz said the victim had been tortured and shot dead before his body was thrown into the river.

After medico-legal formalities at the Civil Hospital Karachi, the body was moved to the Edhi morgue for want of identification.

Ice-cream seller killed

An ice-cream seller and resident of Hazara Colony was shot dead near Kalapul over what police believed personal enmity.

Abdul Ghaffar, 38, was on his way to home after depositing an ice-cream tricycle at a warehouse when he was killed, said Defence SHO Khalid Mehmood.

The victim hailed from the interior of Sindh, the police said.