KARACHI, Nov 4: At least five people, including two doctors, were killed in targeted attacks apparently on sectarian grounds in different parts of the city on Monday, deepening fear among the people ahead of Muharram as the Rangers-led ‘targeted-operation’ has yet to challenge the sectarian menace effectively, according to police and hospital officials.

After a lull in frequent killings in the city, targeted attacks reared their ugly head in the provincial capital amid tight security on account of the visit of some VVIP to the city.

Four people, two doctors among them, were shot dead in an attack on a tailor’s shop while a young man along with Zuljanah was shot dead in Mobina Town, triggering tension and anxiety in Abbas Town.

Among the two doctors, a chest specialist was shot dead in the Ferozabad area, police said.

They added that Dr Naseem Abbas Shah, 44, was about to sit in his car outside his home on Allama Iqbal Road in PECHS Block 2 when four suspects riding two motorcycles fired at him. He sustained two gunshot wounds in his head and was rushed to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where doctors declared him dead.

The victim was associated with a private hospital near Hill Park and also worked at a hospital in Malir, the police investigators said.

Dr Shah, father of two children, originally hailed from Multan, they added.

In another attack, a doctor was gunned down in the Manghopir area, police said.

They added that Dr Sher Ali, 45, was returning home in a car after dropping his children at their school when two armed motorcyclists attacked him near ‘Garam Chashma’.

The victim was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

According to additional police surgeon Dr Abdul Haq, the victim had received four bullet wounds including two in the head.

Dr Ali belonged to the Mughal Hazara community, according to Manghopir SDPO Shaukat Shani.

He said the deceased ran a private clinic near an Imambargah in the area.

Two young men were shot dead while three others wounded in the attack on a tailor’s shop in the Sharifabad area, the area police said.

They added that three suspects riding a motorcycle attacked the tailor’s shop in Zeenat Square that left five persons wounded. The wounded were taken to the ASH where doctors declared Nadeem Haider Zaidi, 40, and Mohammed Shoaib, 28, dead on arrival. The wounded men Mohammed Mohsin, 30, Imran, 40, and Sohail Ali were admitted for treatment.

“Apparently the attack was motivated by sectarian considerations,” said SSP Central Amir Farooqi. He said Nadeem owned the tailor’s shop and appeared to be the real target of the attackers.

In yet another attack, a young man along with a Zuljanah was gunned down in Mobina Town, police said.

They added that Shan Mohammed, 32, was a Khadim of the Zuljanah in the Abbas Town area.

Gunmen riding a motorcycle killed the Zuljanah and its keeper near Patel Para, triggering tension in Abbas Town.

“Five Shia activists have been killed ahead of Muharram, which proved hollowness of the government’s claims about controlling law and order,” according to Maulana Sadiq Raza Taqvi, deputy secretary general of the Sindh Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM).

He said the authorities seemed holding meetings merely for cosmetic security arrangements during Muharram.

MQM man killed

Separately, a young worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was gunned down in Orangi Town, the Iqbal Market police said.

They added that Junaid aka Mansoor, 28, and his relative, Wasim, were riding a motorcycle on the main road when two armed motorbike riders attacked them near Daba Mor in Sector 11 ½. Junaid sustained nine bullet wounds and died before any medical aid could be provided to him while his relative remained unhurt in the attack.

The victim was a worker of the unit 118 of the MQM organizational structure, said Iqbal Market SHO Tasdeeq Waris, adding that he worked at a factory in Site.

Youth found shot dead

A youngster was found shot dead in the Mochko area, police said.

They added that the body of Abdul Rasool, 25, with a single bullet wound in his head was found in a garbage dump in Mochko-II. The victim, a resident of Orangi Town’s Faqir Colony, worked at an embroidery shop in the Mochko area, according to SHO Saleem Faridi.

He suspected some personal enmity as a motive for the killing.