Geo436.com blog: 32 more killed in fresh Karachi violence

Geo436 KARACHI: Reeling from a series of target killings over the last two days, the city witnessed 32 more deaths in fresh incidents of killings on Tuesday.

The most horrifying incident occurred on Tuesday evening, when seven to eight armed men on motorcycles entered the busy Kabari Market located in the Shershah area and opened fire on shops and passers-by, killing 15 people and injuring over 20 others. Two vehicles were also damaged in the incident. Tension gripped the city and some sporadic incidents of aerial firing were reported following the attack.

Bodies of the deceased and injured were ferried to the Abbasi Shaheed and the Civil Hospitals, Karachi. Some of the victims killed in the Kabari Market incident were identified as Zubair, Humair, Anees, Asif, Nasir, Tariq, Saeed, Kashif, Amjad, Ghulam Rasool, Junaid. Most of the deceased were labourers.

Following the incident, people throughout the city got panicky and rushed homes. The spree of violence started following the killing of five men on Tuesday afternoon.
Armed men attacked a hotel near the Al-Ahad Apartment in Block-14, Gulistan-e-Jauhar police limits. Two hotel owners, identified as Jamal and Abdul Khalique, were killed while Ameenullah, brother of Abdul Khalique, sustained injuries.

Hameed Sarbazi, 45, was shot dead in the Mominabad police limits after unidentified men kidnapped, tortured, and threw his body in the area. Investigation revealed that the deceased was the President of People”s Aman Committee Faqeer Colony Ward.

Residents of Mominabad and Faqeer Colony staged a protest and demanded of the authorities to arrest the killers. Abid Baloch and Saleem Baloch were shot dead by unknown motorcyclists in the Risala police limits. Police said the deceased cousins were targeted in the Orangzeb market in the Risala area. The deceased belonged to Gawadar and had come to the city a few days back.

In a separate case, Nawaz Baloch Khaskheli was shot dead in the Nabi Baksh police limits. Police said the incident happened near the Abbasi Cloth Market. Armed men riding a motorcycle came and asked Khaskheli about his caste and then shot him dead.

Ubaiduallah was shot dead in the Landhi police limits. Police said the deceased was kidnapped from outside his house in Sector-37D, Landhi, and shot dead. The deceased was an activist of the MQM-H.

In another armed attack near the Radio Pakistan Preedy police limits, two persons, identified as Abdul Rehman and Ghulam Sarwar, were killed.

Meanwhile, Syed Mohammed Akram, 55, was shot dead by unkown armed men in Sharea Noor Jehan police limits.

Armed men resorted to firing at Kati Pahari. During an exchange of fire between two groups, police and Rangers personnel rushed to the spot and tried to control the situation in which Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Abdullah of Sharea Noor Jehan police station was injured.

Rafiq Memon was shot dead in the Gulberg police limits. The deceased was a resident of Rasheedabad, Baldia Town, and a labourer by profession.

Riaz Gul was shot dead in Sachal police limits. Gul hailed from Mohmand Agency, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

In yet another case, an unidentified man was shot dead while Jehangir Baloch was injured in the Pak Colony police limits. Police sources said that the deceased was a labourer and was in the Old Golimar area when armed men opened fire at him.

Unknown miscreants set alight several pushcarts in Block M, North Nazimabad, in the limits of the Taimuria police station.

Meanwhile, four persons who were kidnapped were rescued by the Malir City police. SP Bin Qasim Town Tanveer Odho said that on a tip-off, he directed his town police to immediately conduct checking as four labourers had been kidnapped from the Saudabad Factory area by armed men riding a Honda City.

SHO Malir City Hassan Ali Sheikh was checking vehicles in Mohabbat Pur area, when he witnessed three suspects driving a Honda City. They were signaled to stop but on seeing the police, they opened fire.

After an encounter, the criminals escaped, while the police took custody of the car. During the search of the car, the police recovered four people tied with ropes. They were labourers by profession and were identified as Mujahid, Muneer, Shoaib and Wajahat Hussain.

Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Ali Mirza, taking serious notice of the armed ambush in Kabari Market of Pak Colony area, directed the Provincial Police Officer Sindh Babar Khattak to submit a detailed report to his office as soon as possible.

According to a statement issued here on Tuesday, Mirza directed Police and Rangers to ensure the enforcement of Section 144 in the city to save lives and property of people. He expressed profound grief over the loss of innocent lives in the incident and directed law enforcement agencies to take strict action against terrorists and criminal impartially.

These elements do not deserve any leniency and should be dealt with a strong hand. He said that anti-state and anti-democratic forces were busy in conspiracies and they should be arrested and their plans should be unearthed to foil their motives.

The city was tense and paralysed after the killings. Almost all of Karachi was shut down, including petrol pumps and major markets.

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Karachi, Fayyaz Ahmed Leghari, said he had directed the forces to conduct a search operation in the affected areas. Police and Rangers were conducting a search operation in Malir and Pak Colony areas till the filing of this report.

Patrolling orders were issued, he said adding that two target killers involved in Tuesdayís killings had been arrested. They were involved in target killing incidents in Baldia and Malir areas. Further investigations are underway.

Our correspondent adds: The Awami National Party (ANP) called for troops deployment in Karachi, says a press release. ANP leader Shahi Syed said the police and the Rangers had miserably failed to ensure safety of citizens because they did not have arbitrary powers. He called for an immediate Swat like Army operation in Karachi.

Agencies add: At least 86 suspects have been arrested from different parts of the city during raids and snap checking by the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh). According to a Rangers spokesman, arms and ammunition were also recovered from the suspects. The accused were handed over to the concerned police stations after initial interrogation, the spokesman said.

The Karachi University (KU) cancelled the papers scheduled to be held today (Wednesday). The associations of private schools in Karachi announced that schools in the city would remain closed.

President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the killing of innocent people in indiscriminate firing in Kabari Market, Karachi. In a condolence message, he expressed his deep shock and grief over the incident.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, taking strong notice of ongoing target killings in Karachi, stressed that all should sit together to resolve the issue and prepare a joint strategy to defeat the militant elements destroying peace in Karachi.

Prime Minister Gilani in the evening rang up Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza separately and discussed the latest law and order situation in Karachi.

The PM said Karachi being the economic hub of the country and a centre of opportunities for working segments of the society should be peaceful so that the business activates could gain momentum.

He said those playing with innocent lives were surely the enemies of the people of Pakistan and the state, so it was the duty of all to stand against such elements.
Separately, Minister of State for Ports and Shipping Sardar Nabeel Ahmed Gabol said the time had now reached the point wherein stakeholders should seriously think over calling the Army to control the law and order situation in Karachi.

Talking to a private TV channel, Gabol said the killing of innocent people was continuing unchecked in the metropolitan city, which established that Rangers and the police had failed to control the situation.

Overseas Pakistanis Minister Dr Farooq Sattar also telephoned Prime Minister Gilani and discussed the incidents of target killings in Karachi. Prime Minister Gilani said this situation called for joint efforts on part of all parties.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah sought an immediate report from the Inspector General of Police and the Capital City Police Officer about the incident. He also directed the law enforcement agencies to initiate strict action against criminal elements and miscreants without any distinction.