KARACHI: Dr Maulana Masood Baig, a religious teacher and son-in-law of Jamia Binoria Al-Almia’s founding chief Mufti Mohammad Naeem, was shot dead in North Nazimabad, a shopkeeper was killed in Sharifabad and a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was gunned down in Khuda Ki Basti in suspected sectarian attacks on Wednesday, police said.

While the three killings were blamed on the current wave of sectarian killings, the inspector general of the Sindh police and religious circles suspected that a ‘third force’ was behind them. Dr Baig was targeted while he was driving his car to pick up his children from a private school in North Nazimabad, Hyderi Market SHO Nadeem Tanoli said.

As Dr Baig slowed down the vehicle near the KDA Chowrangi, gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on him and fled. He sustained multiple bullet wounds and was taken to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Later the body was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Investigators found six spent bullets of a 0.9mm pistol at the crime scene.

The victim, father of two, was the official in charge of the girls section of the seminary and also taught at the Islamic Learning Department of Karachi University, said Jamia Binoria spokesman Jawed-ur-Rahman.

He added that Dr Baig was a PhD from KU and his thesis was titled ‘Islam’s philosophy of brotherhood and tolerance’. He dropped his children at Falcon Grammar School in North Nazimabad in the morning and went to KU. Later he visited his parents’ home in Azizabad from where he was supposed to pick up his children before coming to the seminary on whose premises he lived. That was his daily routine, said the seminary official. Taking notice of the killing of the teacher, the authorities removed the Central SSP and demoted the SHO concerned.

In the second attack, a 30-year-old man was shot dead in Sharifabad at noon.

Police said Qasim aka Danish Raza was sitting at his shop in F.C. Area when gunmen riding a motorcycle and wearing helmets attacked him. He sustained three bullet wounds and was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Although the police said they were not sure about the motive for the murder, a spokesman for the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) said the victim was a worker of the party. The victim, father of three, was a resident of Orangi Town.

In the third such killing, Imran Ali, 35, was gunned down in a Surjani Town locality.

Police said the victim was sitting at his TV repair shop in Khuda Ki Basti when gunmen riding a motorcycle targeted him. The victim was the MQM’s worker, said SSP-West Irfan Baloch. He added that the deceased was Shia.

A spokesman for the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen said Imran Ali was an organiser of processions on the 18th of Safar. The MQM said he was the party’s circle in-charge.

Meanwhile, newly appointed IG of police Ghulam Hyder Jamali told Dawn that a ‘third force’ might be involved in the recent surge in sectarian killings.

“We cannot rule out the involvement of a third force, wanting to create disorder in the metropolis,” said the provincial police chief. “Most police officers inquiring into sectarian killings are of this view. We have reports to this effect.”

He said Allama Ali Akbar Kumaili was targeted in Central district and Dr Baig was also killed in the same district, where most sectarian killings had been reported recently.

Following these killings, the police have accelerated their efforts and arrested several suspected targeted killers. They include Arif, alias Nomi, who was allegedly involved in the killing of around 40 members of the Shia sect in the city. Besides, two other suspects allegedly involved in the murder of several Sunni activists were also arrested.

The IG said an alleged killer of the son-in-law of Allama Talib Jauhari was arrested recently while another suspect was killed in an ‘encounter’.

IG Jamali said that ‘clues’ to the suspects involved in the murder of Allama Ali Akbar Kumaili had been found and the police were sure that the killers would be apprehended soon.

He said a special team had been formed to investigate the murder of Dr Masood Baig while the CID police had been assigned the task of capturing the killers and ascertaining their motive for the recent killings.

The seminary spokesman also echoed the IG’s views. Referring to the killing of Allama Ali Akbar Kumaili, son of Allama Abbas Kumaili, in Azizabad, he said a ‘third force’ was involved in the killing of religious leaders of both sects to foment chaos in the city and the country.

Meanwhile, parties mainly representing different sects also condemned the killings and both called it a failure of the government and law enforcement agencies. In a statement, Allama Aurangzeb Farooqui of the ASWJ said the people had lost trust in the police and Rangers.

“The government appears helpless before the terrorists,” he said. “Security for every citizen’s life and property is the key responsibility of any government, but having failed to do so, the authorities have lost their moral right to rule. The situation demands effective and practical measures instead of tall claims.”

Similar thoughts were shared by Allama Raja Nasir Abbas of the MWM who slammed the government over its ‘failure’.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2014