KARACHI: Three policemen, a doctor, a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and a dairy farm owner were among the eight people killed in separate gun attacks in the city on Wednesday, when armed assaults registered a surge and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif was briefed on the law and order situation at the corps headquarters, police said.

Two policemen were shot dead in New Karachi in the evening.

The police said Khurram Kamal, 47, and Junaid Jawad, 27, were attacked near Qasim Bakery in Muslim Town near Nagan Chowrangi by six gunmen riding on three motorcycles.

The two policemen sustained multiple bullet wounds and were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival, said Additional Police Surgeon Dr Abdul Haq.

The police surgeon added that the victims sustained three-four bullet wounds on different parts of their bodies.

The policemen were in plain clothes and posted in district west investigation wing.

“They were working in the investigation wing dealing with terror cases,” said Additional Inspector General of Police, Karachi, Ghulam Qadir Thebo.

They had gone there over information provided by an ‘informer’ but it appeared that it was a set-up and the informer had got them killed, added the city police chief.

The Karachi police chief believed that the police were being targeted over their ‘proactive policing’ against terrorists, though they were not trained for dealing with terrorism as this was a task of a special terror force or a team.

About the surge in violence in the metropolis after a lull on Wednesday, the AIG of Karachi said that a sub-inspector in Korangi was also killed on Wednesday and that might be a reaction to the action against criminals there.

Mr Thebo said that investigators were working on the murder case of policemen and they had got some significant clues especially pertaining to the recent killing of Preedy SHO Ghazanfar Kazmi.

The city police chief said that Mr Kazmi might have been targeted for taking active part in the Karachi operation of 1992.

Meanwhile, the third police officer was shot dead in Korangi on Wednesday morning, the police officials said.

They added that Sub-Inspector Sahib Dino, 50, was attacked by armed motorcyclists when he was waiting for a public transport vehicle at a bus terminus in Korangi-5.

He sustained critical wounds and was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

The Zaman Town police said that the victim was a resident of Korangi-4. He hitched a lift on a motorcycle and when he got off the bike, the gunmen targeted him. The victim was wearing a police uniform at time of the incident, the police added.

“It appeared to be an act of targeted killing,” Korangi SSP Nazeer Ahmed Mirbahar said.

He was posted in the Sindh Reserve Police and was performing security duty at the Chief Minister’s House.

The officer hailed from Khairpur and his funeral prayers were held in the police headquarters in Garden. Later on, the coffin was transported to his native town for a burial.

Doctor working for PPP shot dead

A doctor, who was a Pakistan Peoples’ Party worker, was shot dead in his clinic in Korangi on Wednesday evening, the Zaman Town police said.

They added that Dr Aun Naseem Jafferi was sitting at his clinic adjacent to an Imambargah in Korangi 5 ½ when three gunmen riding on a motorcycle appeared there.

They opened fire on the doctor while two compounders who were present there took shelter and fled.

The wounded victim was taken to the JPMC, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival, said Dr Seemin Jamali, head of the emergency department.

“The victim was the PPP Korangi district information secretary,” said PPP Karachi leader Senator Saeed Ghani.

The deceased had also contested on a seat of the provincial assembly in 2002 from the platform of the PPP.

“The police were probing the murder from three aspects — political, sectarian and family dispute,” said Landhi SP Akhter Farooq.

MQM worker gunned down

A Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker was gunned down in Orangi on Wednesday afternoon, the police said.

They added that 25-year-old Abdullah, aka Maggi, was sitting at his electronics shop in Aligarh Bazaar in Sector 1-A, when two gunmen attacked him.

He sustained multiple bullet wounds and was taken to the Sindh Govt Qatar Hospital, where he died during treatment.

The investigators found five cartridges fired from a 9mm pistol at the scene of the crime.

“The victim was a MQM worker,” said Orangi Town SHO Tanveer Murad.

However, the SHO added that the police were also investigating whether any personal enmity was behind the murder.

Dairy farm owner killed

A dairy farm owner was shot dead in Korangi Industrial Area on Wednesday evening, the police said.

They added that Hafiz Mehboob Illahi, 50, was travelling in a chauffeur-driven car along with his brother when armed motorcyclists attacked him near the Bilal Colony roundabout.

He sustained critical bullet wounds and was taken to the JPMC, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

The murder might be motivated by some personal enmity, Landhi SP Akhter Farooq said.

He added that the gunmen were chasing him from the Singer Chowrangi area.

He was sitting on the rear seat while his brother was seated beside the driver’s seat.

If it had been a targeted attack, the gunmen would not have spared the others in the vehicle as had been seen in such killings, believed SP Farooq.

He said the victim owned a big cattle farm and the police were probing the incident from all aspects.

Vegetable seller killed

A 45-year-old vegetable seller was shot dead outside his house in Pirabad on Wednesday afternoon, the police said.

They added that Mohammed Zahid was standing outside his home in Islamia Colony-2 in Qasba Colony, when gunmen opened fire on him and fled.

He received multiple wounds and was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

The victim worked as a security guard at private Al-Shifa hospital in MPR Colony and recently he had started selling vegetables outside his home, where he was attacked.

The police suspected personal enmity behind the murder.

Shoe-seller killed in Kalakot

A 30-year-old man was gunned down in the Kalakot area of Lyari on Wednesday, the police said.

They added that Amjad Wahid was sitting at his Chand Shoes shop near Gharib Shah Mazar on Mewashah Road, when two gunmen attacked him.

He sustained fatal bullet wounds and died while being taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi.

The victim was an Iranian Baloch, said Kalakot SHO Haji Sanaullah.

He added that the motive for the murder could not be ascertained immediately.

Girl strangled in Ittehad Town

A 26-year-old girl was found strangled to death in Ittehad Town on Wednesday, the police said.

They added that the body was recovered from a plot in Qabail Shah Street in the Cottage Industrial area.

The corpse was taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi for medico-legal formalities, where her identity could not be ascertained immediately.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2014