Because he was Urdu Speaking, a Shia, Senior Leader/An Active Worker that qualifies to target him
This is what Najam Sethi saying at Dunya TV,too at the moment.
Minister for Interior Rehman Malik said the outlawed sectarian outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba and Tehrik-e-Taliban are involved in Raza Haider murder.
Talking to media outside Parliament House, Malik said Raza was at the hit list of terrorists at and was informed about the threat to his life.
Interior minister said that MQM has warned against a suicide attack during funeral prayers of MQM leader Raza Haider.
He said the network of Sipah-e-Sahaba and Tehrik-e-Taliban will be eliminated and added that Rangers have been deployed in sensitive areas of the city for maintenance of law and order.
As US/Washington Dictated Government failed to provide security, its our right to take arms and law in our hand to establish rule of law. You can't depend on Rangers by replacing their uniforms, the real rangers and military has not yet won front war. We need to restore, reactivate militias to help defeated military of PAK. This is how Baghdad, Kabol was lost, and now it seems Pakistan is going to break once again after worst defeat in 1971.
Is this M.A.Jinnah or Allama Iqbal's dreamland Pakistan? If no, lets get rid of this United Shattered States of PAKISTAN.
Karachi police aware of Raza Haider’s murder plan: Report
Karachi Police has received the reports vis-a-vis the murder of MQM Raza Haider a year ago while an under custody terrorist Shakeel also revealed much information in this regard, Dunya News learnt on Tuesday.
According the report received by Dunya News, CID police nabbed Shakeel alias Barmi, a terrorist belonging to a banned outfit, from Orangi Town a year back who tipped off the former about the assassination plans of many of the MQM leaders besides attacks on party gathering.
As per the secret investigatory report, MQM leader Raza Haider was on hit list besides Manzar Imam, Haider Abbas Rizvi and Usama Qadri of the terrorists.
Shakeel also revealed that two militants namely Abdullah Mehsud and Azizur Rehman were sent to carry out suicide bombing at party gatherings by Qari Mehsud group. However, they were sent back to Waziristan after Anwar’s arrest.
Oct15/1959,Thu to Aug02/2010, Mon
MQM MPA, guard gunned down in Karachi
Updated at: 1815 PST, Monday, August 02, 2010
KARACHI: Raza Haider, MQM leader and member Sindh Assembly, and his guard have been gunned down here in Nazimabad on Monday, Geo News reported.
Unknown armed motorcyclists fired shots at Raza Haider as well as his guard when he was preparing to attend a funeral prayer at Jamia Masjid of Nazimabad Block No.2.
Raza Haider, who received a bullet in his head died when he was being rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The guard later succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical aid at the hospital.
The MQM leader was elected from PS-94 Karachi 6.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik condemned the incident, urging the people to remain calm.
He termed the targeted killings in Karachi as a ‘latest tool’ being used to destabilize the country.
Rehman Malik urged MQM leaders to wait for investigation and called upon the people to observe restraint.
He said he would soon hold a meeting with MQM leaders.
MQM leaders Babar Ghauri and Haider Abbas Rizvi expressed profound grief on the tragic incident.
“It would be difficult to put a cap on the chapter opened (today),”Babar Ghauri asserted.
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MQM MPA Raza Haider was shot dead in the Nazimabad area on Monday.
Sources said Raza Haider was in Nazimabad to attend the funeral of a relative when six unidentified gunmen opened fire on him.
The MPA succumbed to his injuries on the way to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Sporadic incidents of violence erupted across the city as reports of the murder started coming in.
The body guard of Raza haider was also killed in the incident.
Funeral prayers of Raza Haider will be held after Zuhr prayers on Tuesday at Bab-ul-Ain in Nazimabad.
MQM has announced a 3 day mourning period.
All educational institutions in Karachi will be closed tomorrow as a result of the incident.
End of live updates
11:10pm
The overall death toll in shootings has risen to eleven, with over people 35 injured.
Four people have been killed and 12 injured in shootings in Orangi, Sohrab Goth and Shareefabad.
The All Karachi Traders Union has announced market closure tomorrow.
10:40pm
According to The Express Tribune reporter Fawad Ali Shah, street lights have been shut across the city. Neither City District Government officials nor Cantonment Board Clifton Officials were ready to talk on why the street lights were shut.
Meanwhile according ANP spokesperson has said three party workers named Naseem Afridi, Syed Khan and Murad Afridi have been shot dead in Pak colony.
According to reports the number of injuries in the ongoing riots in the city has risen to 23.
10:30pm
Speaking on ‘Witness with Quatrina’ MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said that a high level inquiry should be made into the killing of the MPA and that the inquiry should come up with names of the perpetrators.
One Mohammad Sher, 23, has been gunned down near Nadria hotel, Nazimabad within the limits of Rizvia police station. Police said he was killed in the riots.
@abidifactor 2 Innocent watchman shot dead in Gulshan Bungalows Gulestan-e-Juhar Block 19 #karachi
@salmansid my mother is stuck in Bahadurabad. Sister called me up to say firing is very intense in Gulshane Iqbal, behind National Stadium. #Karachi
@RaxaXaidi All Gas Stations Shut Down Already In Karachi May Almighty Have Mercy On Us..
10:15pm
Four dead bodies and 15 injured persons have been received at the JPMC, Dr Semi Jamali Incharge Emergency and Accident Center told The Express Tribune.
The body of Umair son of Asmatulah, 22, was brought from Abul Hasan Ispahani road. He received three bullets according to the MLO at JMPC.
Imam Bux, 30, son of Ghulam Rasool , was shot dead in Korangi after the incident and his body was also shifted to the JMPC. According to the doctors he received two bullets.
Noor Zaman, 44, son of Badhshah Khan was killed in New Karachi. He was killed in the riots that followed the murder of the MQM MPA.
Shahi Hussain, 30, son of Fida Hussain was killed in Landhi and his body was brought to the JMPC by the ambulance of a rescue service. Doctors said he received four bullets.
10:00pm
Funeral prayers of MQM MPA Raza Haider will be held after Zuhr prayers on Tuesday.
MQM has announced three days of mourning.
Karachi University has postponed all exams to be held tomorrow.
Karachi Board of Secondary Education has deferred the announcement of pre-medical results.
@mshoaibyaseen 2 persons injured in my area by anonymous firing. Gulzar-e-Hijri #karachi #mqm
@Saba_Imtiaz Aerial firing still going on outside the house (Phase 2, DHA), an hour after it started. #Karachi
9:55pm
Death toll rises to 5, with 10 others injured in ongoing violence across Karachi.
9:40pm
One person killed, 10 injured in shootings in various areas.
9:35pm
In Hyderabad, as news of the murder spread markets closed and youth burnt tyres in protest on the streets. Express News Cameraman Shakeel was attacked and his camera was destroyed. A wheel jam strike has also been announced in Hyderabad. There is no sign of police as rioters run rampant.
9:25pm
A petrol pump in Korangi No.5 has been set on fire.
Exams to be held at Urdu University have been postponed.
@Farman21 again heard some gun shots in #gulshan #Karachi#Pakistan
@altruistic92 3-day mourning announced in #karachi
9:20pm
Chief Secretary Sindh has said educational institutions will remain closed in Karachi tomorrow.
Four more vehicles set ablaze in Korangi.
Over 15 vehicles set ablaze in different areas of Karachi so far.
9:15pm
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that the MQM should wait for the investigation before any response.
MQM leaders have given strong statements regarding the murder of MQM MPA Raza Haider
Babar Ghauri
We will not rest until the culprits are caught. This city and province has been treated like a joke. Now if no action is taken, MQM will not be able to control the people.
Raza Haroon
On July 24, Shahi Syed gave threatening comments about revenge and taking up arms, we believe that investigations should begin with Shahi Syed and ANP leaders.
Waseem Aftab
How long will you ask us for patience? We have been patient and have asked for people to be patient. There is a limit for everything, two hundred of our workers have been killed and now our representatives are also being targeted. Those who have the power should not be silent witnesses anymore.
@beenasarwar RT @sabeen: Got home from Tipu Sultan Rd via Karsaz flyover. Sh-e-Faisal towards airport jammed. Other side empty, ghostly #Karachi
@shyyawn stuck in johar block 2 on side road, can some one give news on kamran chorangi, johar chorangi and johar more. Karachi #fb
@SerepticuS A friend’s car got burned in ‘protest’ tonight in #Karachi. The ppl who did it were more excited than mourning as if they were celebrating!
9:00pm
The body has been released from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and the Namaz-e-Janaza will be held at Bab-ul-Ain in Nazimabad.
According to Express 24/7 reporter Masror Huseen dozens of vehicles have been torched in the city.
MQM Chief Altaf Hussain says the murder of Raza Haider is a tragedy.
@BeingSamee: Breaking all signals….finally reach near hill park karachi. precisely near Imtiaz super store !//so ur ready to be mugged
@furhanhussain Stuck in in a friend’s relative’s home. Classes got cancelled, gave up after driving in defence #karachi for an hour.
@oa204: he was such a nice humble and a peace loving person raza haider #karachi
@kadnan Funeral cermony of Raza Hyder will be held at Imam Bargah Babul Ilm,North Nazimabad. Residents of N.Nazd! stay safe at homes #karachi #mqm
@HumaImtiaz Firing going on outside my apartment in Phase 2 Ext, DHA. Just heard someone yell “close all the shops”. #Karachi ~ b safe
8:45pm
Twenty-three vehicles have been set ablaze in Banaras, Landhi, Ispahani road, Nazimabad and Gulistan-e-Johar areas of Karachi.
People are stranded on roads as public transport has stopped functioning. Petrol pumps around the city have also closed down.
8:35pm
PPP leader Shazia Marri says there have been 878 killings in Karachi since January.
@haroonurasheed Two trucks have been burnt on hub road #karachi
@kashaziz Karachi should be handed over to Army and full scale search operation should be performed.
@danishkhi @ahkath Gulshan, Joher, Landhi, Korangi…… firing reports from all over Karachi
8:30pm
Ten injured in shootings in Landhi, SITE, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Baldia Town and Korangi.
Massive traffic jams reported near PIDC/Sheraton.
@haroonurasheed #Azizabad only area of #karachi , where firing is not going, I was outside sometime before.
@arfeen77 back home, too much traffic jam around tariq road,bahdurabad,hassan square..bad situation in #karachi #fb
8:25pm
Markets have been closed down in Manzoor Colony, Saddar town.
Markets also closed down in Hyderabad in wake of MPA’s killing.
@usman_qamar #firing start again in gulshan iqbal block -10 #karachi
8:20pm
Emergency meeting of MQM Rabita Committee underway at 90.
Three people injured in shooting incident in Landhi.
Eleven vehicles set ablaze in different areas of Karachi.
8:15pm
In a press statement ANP Leader Shahi Syed has condemned the killing of Raza Haider and demanded that the government investigate the case and take severe action against the assailants.
Shahi Syed said the ANP is saddened by the incident and that MQM leaders should refrain from giving hostile statements for the sake of peace in the city.
He said that sectarian violence cannot be ignored and appealed that the public stay calm and not indulge in hostile activities.
He also said that ANP condemns all cases of terrorism.
@sanakazmi my friend just saw a man firing at punjab chowrangi #karachi
8:10pm
Nince vehicles have been set ablaze in different areas.
Rangers and Police officials have said negotiations are the only way to contain the violence.
MPA Raza Haider was an active spokesperon against sectarian violence.
8:00pm
According to The Express Tribune Reporter Fawad Ali Shah, four vehicles have been set ablaze in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
Filling stations shut down in different areas of Karachi.
MPA Raza Haider was murdered when he was performing abulation inside the mosque.
@sanakazmi lots of people – inc. women – stuck on shahrah-e-faisal waiting for buses. should start a volunteer rideshare for times like these. #karachi
@sanakazmi @desmukh there was some firing from/near the flyover at nipa when i passed by half an hour ago. #karachi
@smmohiuddin 23 Vehicles Burnt in Karachi since 6:15pm – Sources
7:53pm
Aeriel firing being reported in Tariq Road and various areas of Karachi.
DIG East Ameer Sheikh to head the inquiry committee.
MQM MPA killed
Incidents of sporadic firing are being reported in the city. Two people have been injured in firing incidents in SITE area following the MPA’s murder. Unidentified people have also set fire to a bus on Ispahani road. Traffic jams in various areas are also being reported. Security has been beefed up across the city. Citizens are facing great difficulty as public transport is nowhere to be seen.
Raza Haider was targeted by six unidentified gunmen after he had attended a funeral. He was injured as a result of the shooting and succumbed to his injuries on the way to Abbasi Shaheed hospital. According to initial reports Raza Haider received a bullet to his head. There are conflicting reports of the MPAs gunman being killed in the attack as well. Raza Haider had reportedly received threats from an extremist group.
Police and Rangers have cordoned off the area and all markets have been closed in the area.
MQM demands action
MQM Spokesman Waseem Aftab, speaking to the media at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, said that the Sindh Government and Federal Government should not ask for patientce, but should take action against the elements who were disrupting peace in Karachi.
He said his party is a victim of target killings and people ask the party when target killings would stop.
He called for action against ANP leader Shahi Syed and all other elements who have been disrupting the peace.
Rizvi calls for patience
MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi pleaded for calm and said that terrorists wanted to spread chaos in Karachi. He said that according to reports, two workers of MQM were also killed in the attack.
Malik pleads for calm
Interior Minister Rehman Malik condemned the murder and appealed to the citizens of Karachi to remain calm.
Speaking to the media he requested that speculation on the murder of Raza Haider should avoided till investigations are completed.
He also indicated that the authorities had some ‘clues’ as to who could be behind the attack.
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killings and arson in city following MPA’s assassination
Reign of anarchy
By Atif Raza
KARACHI: The city was paralysed following the murder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker Raza Haider in the Nazimabad locality on Monday.
According to details, around 40 people were gunned down and more than 100 wounded in various incidents of firing.
As per reports, more than three dozen vehicles; dozens of hotels, shops, markets, pushcarts, roadside stalls, pan shops; and other commercial and non-commercial properties were also torched across the city.
Meanwhile, police and Rangers personnel seemingly failed to stop the incidents of firing and arson.
The most disturbed localities included Landhi, Malir, Orangi Town, Baldia, Qasba, Korangi, New Karachi, Nazimabad, Federal B Area, Pak Colony, Liaquatabad, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
Most people who fell victim to the firing incidents belonged to the Pakhtun community, while most properties damaged and torched were also owned by Pakhtuns.
Intense firing in different areas of the city caused panic and citizens were confined to their houses, while those outside their houses faced serious difficulties in reaching home.
According to reports, miscreants set a petrol pump on fire in the Korangi area, which, according to Awami National Party (ANP) officials, was owned by ANP Sindh President Shahi Syed.
Following the MQM legislator’s killing, violence ensued in different areas of the city.
In the first incident of violence, Omair Asmat was killed in the Mobina Town police precincts.
Police said the victim, a resident of Block 4 in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, was sitting at a hotel near the Paradise Bakery.
Abdul Ghani was shot dead near the Abul Hassan Ispahani Road, while Muhammad Sher, 23, was gunned down near the Nadria Hotel in Nazimabad.
Bashir Bacha Khan, 40, was shot dead in the New Karachi area, while Inam Bux, 30, was killed in Korangi No 5.
Shahid Fida Hussain, 30, was gunned down in Landhi No 6, while a Mashallah coach driver Noor Rehman, 36, was killed at Data Chowk in Orangi Town.
In an incident of firing at a passenger bus, a man was killed and more than a dozen wounded in Feature Colony near Sharafi Goth in Awami Colony police precincts.
Some miscreants killed an unidentified rickshaw driver and set his rickshaw on fire in Sector 8 of Orangi Town, while Muhammad Nadeem, a resident of Orangi Town, was gunned down in Metroville, SITE.
Nasrullah Zahoor Khan was shot dead in Jamia Maliha, Gulshan-e-Qadri, while Ajab Khan was gunned down at the Super Highway.
Rehman was shot dead near the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) in the Risala police precincts.
As per CHK medico-legal officer Dr Lala Mubarak, Muhammad Yaqoob and two others were brought to the hospital from Baldia Town.
A young man named Imran was brought to the hospital from the Gizri police precincts, while the bodies of Nooran Shah, Asif, Suleman, Khan Bahadur and another unidentified man were brought from different parts of the city.
Nakib Ali and Rasool Bux were killed in Block 19 of Gulshan-e-Jauhar in Shahrah-e-Faisal police precincts, while an unidentified man was killed at Jahangir Road in the Jamshed Quarter police precincts.
Meanwhile, the news of the MQM leader’s killing spread across the city like wildfire and vehicular traffic disappeared from the roads within hours of the incident, while a large number of people were seen walking towards their different destinations.
Commercial and private activities were paralysed across the city, while deployment of personnel of the law enforcement agencies was being intensified to avert any untoward incident.
Disappearance of traffic police from the roads was also witnessed, while the street lights were switched off as well, as the city was swathed in darkness.
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah condemned the incident and directed Sindh Inspector General of Police Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak to submit a detailed report on the city’s situation, as well as arrest the culprits involved in the murder of the MPA.
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Tuesday, August 03, 2010 E-Mail this article to a friend Printer Friendly Version
35 killed, 125 injured in post-murder riots; several shops and vehicles burnt
Bloodshed in Karachi after MQM MPA shot dead
* Sindh Assembly member Raza Haider, security guard gunned down by unidentified motorcyclists inside a mosque
* MQM announces three-day mourning
By Faraz Khan
KARACHI: A Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and a member of the Sindh Assembly, Raza Haider, and his security guard were gunned down by unidentified motorcyclists inside a mosque in the Nazimabad area on Monday.
Life in the provincial capital was crippled following the incident, as at least 35 people were killed and more than 125 injured in incidents of violence that broke out in various areas in response to the killing.
Around three-dozen vehicles and several shops were set ablaze, while massive traffic jams were witnessed at almost all major thoroughfares of the city.
Two unidentified men shot dead 50-year-old Haider and his security guard Khalid Khan inside the Jamia Masjid Aqsa in Nazimabad Block No 2, when the lawmaker was getting ready to say his prayers at the mosque.
Bodies of the two victims were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. MLO Dr Sheraz told Daily Times that the MPA sustained six bullet wounds – three from a sub-machine gun and three from a 9mm pistol – while his guard had sustained only one bullet injury.
The condition of a teenage boy Arsalan, who was also wounded in the attack, was stable, he added.
Liaquatabad Town SP Waqar Mallan told Daily Times that police found empty shells of a 9mm pistol and an SMG from the crime scene. The SP added that the culprits arrived at the mosque on two motorcycles and a white-coloured car.
“Two of the four men on the motorcycles entered the mosque and after shouting ‘Allah-o-Akbar’ opened fire on the MQM leader and his guard,” the officer said.
“The sketches that we are preparing with the help of eyewitnesses would be provided to the media after they are finalised, but our first priority is to control the law and order situation,” he added.
Meanwhile, violence and anarchy spread throughout the city following the MPA’s murder. Besides several vehicles and shops, a petrol pump, roadside stalls and pushcarts in various parts of the city were set ablaze by protesters.
Routine life was suspended and commercial activities came to a halt due to the violence, as several people stuck in traffic jams had parked their vehicles on the roads and walked to their destinations.
The MQM Rabita Committee announced three days of mourning. The committee said special prayers would also be organised for Haider.
Separately, MQM chief Altaf Hussain called for a high-level probe into Haider’s murder.
Condemning the killing, Altaf termed it a big tragedy, according to a statement by the MQM. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, and the four chief ministers strongly condemned the killing of the MQM leader.
The PM appealed to MQM party workers to avoid taking any extreme measures to express outrage against those who had committed this heinous crime.
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Security has been beefed up in the city to avoid any untoward situation. PHOTO: RASHID AJMERI A man runs past a burning bus set alight by protesters in Karachi on Monday. PHOTO: AFP
47 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in overnight violence in Karachi triggered by the murder of MQM MPA Raza Haider.
Security has been beefed up in the city on Tuesday morning after arson attacks and firing was reported from Landhi, Malir, Shah Faisal Colony and other areas overnight. According to reports, 12 suspects have also been arrested.
Public transport is off the roads today after the MQM announced a three-day mourning period against its leader’s killing. All market places, schools and educational institutions have been closed.
Meanwhile, strict security measures have been taken at Jinnah Ground where the funeral prayers of Raza Haider will be offered after Zuhr.
In Hyderabad, business activities have been halted as MQM is mourning over its leader’s death.
Unidentified men burned tires and blocked roads in Latifabad and other areas in Hyderabad. Meanwhile, transport and CNG stations will remain closed in the city today. A heavy contingent of police and Rangers are patrolling Hyderabad to avoid any untoward situation.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has termed Raza Haider’s murder a conspiracy to make two parties clash with each other.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Malik said that the Karachi CCPO will present a probe report into the murder on Tuesday afternoon.
Updated from print edition (below)
Chaos in Karachi following MQM MPA’s murder
The phenomenon of target killings in Karachi assumed alarming proportions on Monday with the assassination of a sitting provincial legislator triggering intense violence in the provincial capital claiming over 50 lives.
The violence also spread to other areas of urban Sindh, including Hyderabad and Sukkur.
While it is still unclear whether the assassination was political or sectarian in nature, the gunning down of Sindh MPA from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Raza Haider sparked a wave of fear and violence across Karachi, bringing back painful memories of the terror that plagued the city in the ‘90s’. At least 40 vehicles were burnt in rioting that followed the assassination, while over 100 people were injured.
Though the city has been in the grip of the target killings for about two years now, it has, to date, only seen the killing of lower-level cadres. Haider was the first high-profile victim of violence that is tinged with politics, ethnicity and sectarianism.
Soon after Haider’s assassination, the city came to a grinding halt in a hail of aerial firing reported from a number of areas. Major markets and petrol stations shut down almost instantly. Traffic assumed chaotic proportions, with citizens, fearing the worst, rushing to get to the safety of their homes. The authorities, meanwhile, announced that educational institutions will remain closed on Tuesday.
According to the details, MQM MPA Raza Haider was shot dead by unidentified gunmen while in an imambargah in Nazimabad No 2.
Along with Haider, Khalid Khan, his gunman, was killed in the hail of bullets unleashed by the assassins. Doctors who received Haider’s body said that the MPA had been hit by no less than 18 bullets. Police, however, said that the fatal shot came from the bullet that hit him in his head.
Eyewitnesses said that there were six assassins travelling on motorcycles. Haider died on the way to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. He had been a member of the MQM since 1985, and elected to the Sindh Assembly from his Orangi Town constituency in 2008.
Riots started in the city within two hours of the incident. After the initial dash home by citizens, eyewitnesses said that the streets in the defunct district east wore a deserted look. Only those waiting for public transport could be seen standing on the roads.
“Everyone was in a frenzy. Shopkeepers in the furniture market beneath my apartments could not close down fast enough. One young man got off his bike to help one stash his furniture inside the shop. People walked home on foot because all the shops and restaurants closed down immediately,” Tehmina Qureshi, a resident of Gulistan-e-Jauhar who witnessed the violence told The Express Tribune.
Compounding the atmosphere of fear, street lights had been shut across the city. Neither city district government nor Cantonment Board Clifton officials were willing to comment on the lights. Heavy contingent of police and rangers were deployed in the tense areas. The dead included activists of both the MQM and the Awami National Party (ANP)
Casualties were reported from Liaquatabad, Model Colony, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Landhi, and New Karachi.
Meanwhile, the funerals of the political workers of MQM and ANP killed late on Monday night were performed in different parts of the city marked by tension and heightened emotions. Heavy contingents of Rangers and police reached the spot to avert any untoward situation.
The number of dead brought to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Complex (JPMC) was stated to be 14, while 11 bodies were brought to the Civil Hospital Karachi. Five bodies were brought to the Abbassi and Qatar hospitals.
Matters in the city were already tense on Sunday after the killing of a former councillor of the MQM and a worker of the ANP.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain condemned the assassination of Raza Haider and termed it a great tragedy for the nation. He made an earnest appeal to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to order an inquiry into the incident and apprehend the killers as soon as possible.
The MQM Coordination Committee has announced three-day mourning over the tragic incident.
President Asif Ali Zardari, currently in France to meet the French president, has condemned the incident, and directed Interior Minister Rehman Malik to travel to Karachi and have the matter investigated thoroughly.
While it is still unclear who was responsible, the MQM coordination committee blamed the ANP for the killing, pointing to an earlier threatening statement by ANP Sindh chief Shahi Syed. Member of MQM Coordination Committee Wasey Jalil while talking to The Express Tribune said that “the MQM is hundred per cent sure that Shahi Sayed and the ANP are behind the ongoing target killing incidents and killing of Raza Haider”.
However, Syed denied the allegations, saying that the killing of the MPA was a conspiracy against peace in Karachi. “We strongly condemn the incident and demand the government to bring perpetrators of the incident to justice,” Syed said.
General Secretary ANP Amin Khattak while talking to The Express Tribune also condemned the target killing of MQM MPA, and denied the allegations that the ANP could be involved in the killing. Replying to a question, he said that Shahi Syed’s statement regarding taking revenge of the killing of ANP workers was just a political statement.
He said ANP is with the leadership of MQM in this time of grief. Meanwhile, President Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamat Maulana Orangzeb Farooqi also condemned the killing of MQM MPA Raza Haider. “This is a terrorist plot aimed at disturbing the peace of the country, carried out by enemies of Pakistan,” Maulana Farooqi told The Express Tribune. He added: “We condemn the remarks made by Rehman Malik. We do not support violence and terrorism. In this difficult time we stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers in the MQM.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 3rd, 2010.
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By ASHRAF KHAN, Associated Press Writer Ashraf Khan, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 1 min ago
KARACHI, Pakistan – Gunmen killed at least 45 people in Pakistan's largest city after the assassination of a prominent lawmaker set off a cycle of revenge attacks, officials said Tuesday. Dozens of vehicles and shops were set ablaze as security forces struggled to regain control of Karachi.
Schools were closed and most business ground to a halt Tuesday in the southern city of more than 16 million, Pakistan's main commercial hub. While a thriving trading center, Karachi has a history of political, ethnic and religious violence and has long been a hide-out for al-Qaida and Taliban militants.
The latest unrest came after Raza Haider, a provincial lawmaker, was shot dead along with his bodyguard in a mosque while preparing to offer prayers Monday in Nazimabad area.
Haider was a member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the political party that runs the city and represents mainly descendants of Urdu-speaking migrants from India who settled in Pakistan when it was created in 1947.
The MQM's main rival is the Awami National Party, a secular nationalist party whose main power center is Pakistan's northwest and whose base is the ethnic Pashtun community living in Karachi.
Within hours of Haider's assassination, gangs torched buildings in Karachi and gunfire erupted in several parts of the city. Many of the dead were killed in targeted, execution-style attacks, authorities said. An investigation had been ordered into who was behind the attacks.
Independent analysts say followers of all political parties in Karachi are heavily involved in criminal activities such as protection rackets and illegal land dealings. In certain neighborhoods, armed men linked to political parties stand guard at checkpoints.
While violence is still common, the city was far more dangerous in the 1980s and 1990s when there were regular outbreaks of political and ethnic slayings that left dozens dead each week.
Police surgeon Hamid Parhiar said that 45 people were killed and 93 people had been wounded, citing data from state-run hospitals in the city.
Sindh province spokesman Jamil Soomro said at least 10 people were arrested, and police and Army Rangers were dispatched throughout the city to impose order. But gunfire could still be heard Tuesday morning, and fires were still being set in some areas.
Schools and colleges in Karachi and other urban centers in the surrounding province were ordered to stay closed by the government Tuesday.
Officials did not say who was to blame for the violence.
"It is very sad, and we believe that it is the work of those forces who want to destabilize the elected government," Soomro said.
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KARACHI: Thousands of charged mourners attended the funeral prayers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Syed Raza Haider and his police escort on Tuesday despite interior minister Rehman Malik’s warning that a suicide bomber could attack the gathering.
Security was air tight around MQM headquarters at Nine Zero in Azizabad. A heavy contingent of police backed by Rangers mobile units were in place on all roads leading to Jinnah ground where the funeral was held. Barricades blocked the roads and no private cars were allowed through. Snipers were positioned on roof tops on surrounding buildings.
The inner cordon was manned by MQM activists themselves, who frisked each attendee on his way to the memorial service. The activists were also positioned in private cars, four men in each vehicle, 20 paces apart, on one side of the road. However, none of them displayed their arms openly.
Mustafa Kamal, the former city nazim, was the first high profile MQM leader to arrive at the ground and he was seen giving directions to his cadres as early as 11 am. Every participant was given a black ribbon, with directions to wear it till the end of the mourning period that will last three days.
However, even as arrangements were being made on the grounds that house the recently inaugurated Martyrs Memory monument, the death toll in the city in the aftermath of Haider’s assassination continued to rise. As Muhammad Khalid Khan, the MPA’s bodyguard, arrived in an ambulance by 12:30 pm, the figure of people who lost their lives within the last 24 hours had already crossed 40.
Khan’s septuagenarian father was crying inconsolably while seated on a stool in the front row. “I too have died today along with my son,” he said. Khan was one of the six reported police escorts provided to Haider by the government. He was among the two guards who went along with the MPA to the mosque in Nazimabad, while the rest were posted at his residence at the time of the attack on Monday evening.
Senior MQM member Nasreen Jalil led the women’s activists of the party on the ground, which also included Haider’s shell-shocked wife and daughter. The women did not take part in the prayers.
Shoaib Bukhari, Babar Ghauri, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Faisal Sabzwari and Raza Haroon were some of the other high-profile MQM members who attended the funeral. No member of any other party attended the proceedings. However, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Waqar Mehdi, who is the special secretary to the chief minister Sindh, was present.
When Haider’s body arrived wrapped in an MQM flag that had the words “Jiye Altaf Hussain” inscribed on it, it was clear that the enraged crowd had made up its mind about who was behind the killing. Thousands erupted with chants of “Murdabad Murdabad, ANP, Murdabad” and “Qatil hay, Qatil hay, Shahi Syed, Qatil hay”. Others included “Taliban Murdabad”, “Labaik Ya Hussain” and “Ayega, Ayega, Inqilaab Ayega”.
Two clerics, one Shia and the other Sunni, led the funerals separately. Allama Aun Naqvi of the Bootraab Imambargah led the prayers for Raza Haider, while Khan’s was led by Maulana Ferozziddin Rehmani.
Several hundred more people joined the funeral procession which passed through Muqqa chowk enroute to the graveyard in Yaseenabad.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th, 2010.
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Ten trucks torched in Issa Nagri
Updated at: 0715 PST, Wednesday, August 04, 2010 ShareThis story
KARACHI: Unidentified miscreants set ten trucks on fire in Issa Nagri locality while incessant firing was reported in Liaquatabad locality on Tuesday midnight.
Many areas witnessed tensed situation as armed men continued to trigger panic on streets by resorting to aerial and directed firing, resulting in killing and injuring many people.
Busses, shops, carts have been torched while fire brigade workers denied rescue activates owing to fragile security arrangements.
Law enforcement agencies despite sky-high claims remain disappeared from city last night.
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Wednesday, August 04, 2010 E-Mail this article to a friend Printer Friendly Version
Karachi tense as 20 more killed
* Police and paramilitary troops patrol deserted streets
* All markets, business centers remain closed
* Sindh govt issues shoot-on-sight orders
* 20 suspects belonging to banned SSP and LeJ arrested in connection with MQM leader’s murder
KARACHI: At least 20 more people were killed in Karachi on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 63 as a complete shutter-down strike was observed in the wake of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and MPA Raza Haider’s assassination.
All markets, shopping plazas, government offices, petrol and CNG stations and educational institutions remained closed following the three-day mourning announced by the MQM, as police and paramilitary troops patrolled the deserted streets.
Several shops, carts, vehicles and markets were torched and people injured in various incidents of violence.
Officials described the dead as rickshaw drivers, cab drivers, labourers and passers-by who were shot dead in some of the city’s most destitute neighbourhoods.
Despite tall claims by the government and deployment of thousands of police and Rangers personnel in sensitive areas, people preferred staying at home.
The most affected areas were Orangi Town, Shah Faisal Town, Baldia Town, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Sarjani, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Johar, Gulberg, Pirabad, Liaquatabad, Sharifabad, Malir City, Zaman Town, Korangi and Abul Hassan Isphahani Road.
Orders: Sindh government spokesman Jameel Soomro said orders had been given to forces to “shoot on sight miscreants involved in creating a law and order problem”.
Arrest: “The police have arrested 20 suspects belonging to the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba and the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) outfits and charged them for the killing of MP Raza Haider,” Soomro said. “Investigators are also inquiring whether the same outfits’ militants were involved in the violent deaths which started after Haider’s assassinatio,” he said. faraz khan/agencies
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Death toll from Karachi violence rises to 63
A motorcyclist rides past a burning van following overnight violence in Karachi. PHOTO:AFP
KARACHI: The death toll in the wake of Karachi violence rose to 63 on Wednesday morning.
The latest killings took place on Wednesday morning when four men were gunned down in Korangi.
Most of Karachi continues to remain shut for the second consecutive day, but some petrol stations have started reopening along Shahra-e-Faisal.
The MQM has demanded a high-level inquiry into Raza Haider’s murder and has put the blame for the killing on Awami National Party.
Twenty arrests have been made in connection with the killings.
The CID has also arrested three suspects with explosives who are said to have links with banned militant outfits.
Updated from print edition (below)
Karachi grinds to a halt as death toll crosses 55
The violence that erupted in the city after the assassination of Raza Haider, a provincial legislator from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), continued for a second successive day on Tuesday with the 24-hour death toll reaching a staggering 55 – up from the overnight figure of 32.
There was some headway in investigations into the assassination, as the police say they have rounded up some suspects. However, there was little law-enforcers could do to quell the backlash or assuage the fear, despite their heavy presence, who managed a large number of arrests in connection with the rioting.
The city wore a deserted look on the first day of a three-day mourning period announced by the MQM. The black day was one of the most potent in recent memory in Karachi, where businesses and traffic usually return to normalcy as the evening approaches. This was not the case on Tuesday, reflecting the sort of tension the city found itself in the midst of.
It was curfew-like: Public and private transport largely stayed off the roads, while petrol stations as well as markets remained shut, save a few small areas of the metropolis.
The number of gun-shot victims across the city surpassed 140. Tuesday’s deaths were reported from Orangi Town, Baldia, Katti Pahari, Korangi, Peerabad and Nazimabad. The bodies were brought to the Civil, Jinnah and Abbasi Shaheed hospitals.
Doctor Seemi Jamali, in charge of the JPMC Emergency and Accident Department, said that 15 bodies were brought to the hospital, whereas the number of injured crossed the 50 mark. According to Sarwat Channa, an official at Civil Hospital Karachi 16 bodies were received at the hospital. Thirteen bodies have been received at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, according to MLO Dr Sheeraz. Three bodies were received at the Qatar Hospital and one reached at Korangi Police Hospital (KPH).
Emotions ran high during the funeral prayers of slain Raza Haider and his guard, Khalid Khan, which were performed in Azizabad. The actual plan was to move the body from Jinnah Ground to Tauheed Colony via Katti Pahari – however, due to security concerns, the route was changed and the body was taken to Tauheed Colony via Altaf Nagar.
Almost all the MQM high-ups were present on the occasion. Angry activists of the MQM raised slogans against the Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh chief Shahi Syed on the occasion.
Meanwhile, investigations into the assassination picked up pace. The police rounded up about 20 suspects from Orangi Town in relation to the assassination.
Though it is being said that the suspects are activists of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), the banned organisation denies that any of its people have been picked up, instead pointing towards another proscribed group, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ).
“We have some hints and grounds on the basis of which we have arrested them, and are now interrogating them,” said city police chief Waseem Ahmed while speaking to The Express Tribune.
He added that all of them were under investigation and the details of the interrogation would be made public only after the probe was completed. He said that releasing the names or other details of those arrested could affect the inquiry.
On the other hand Ahle-Sunnat Wal Jammat (ASWJ), the new organisational name of the proscribed SSP, has denied its involvement in the incident.
“Rehman Malik mentioned the name of Shakil Burmi to the media. Let the records be straight: Shakeel is a member of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, not of Sipah-e-Sahaba,” Qari Ihsanullah, spokesperson for the ASWJ, told The Express Tribune.
According to him, so far no activists of the ASWJ have been arrested. “According to our information, some members of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have been arrested,” he went on to say.
However, Ihsanullah said that his party will volunteer in case the police wanted to interrogate some of its members. ASWJ had denied involvement in the murder almost instantly on Monday.
Though the ASWJ is pointing towards the LeJ, the history of the two organisations is intertwined. ASWJ was previously known as Sipah-e-Sahaba, an extremist Sunni-Deobandi militant outfit – of which the LeJ is an offshoot.
The LeJ was formed by the extremist breakaways in the SSP, after some of its members felt that the organistation was deviating from the philosophy of its founder Ahmed Nawaz Jhang. LeJ derives its name from Jhang and was formed by notorious extremist leaders Riaz Basra and Akram Lahori. It was banned in 2001.
Since then, LeJ members have been involved in a number of attacks on members of the Shia sect. The city police also accused LeJ of perpetrating the Ashura blast in Karachi, which killed more than 40 people.
The black day was also observed in many other urban centres of Sindh.
NOTE: In Monday’s story, ‘Chaos in Karachi following MQM MPA’s murder’, it was mistakenly reported that the slain Raza Haider was shot in an imam bargah. He was, in fact, shot in Jamia Masjid Aqsa. Furthermore, the MPA was shot six times, as opposed to 18 times. The errors are regretted.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th, 2010.
Five people have been injured in a grenade attack in the Sakhi Hassan area of Karachi on Wednesday.
According to sources, the attack was on a Mosque in Block N, Nazimabad.
Earlier, four bodies were recovered from various localities of Orangi Town in Karachi, while one person was shot dead and three others were injured in firing incidents in the Kharadar area.
The death toll in the wake of Karachi violence now stands at 73 and 130 have been injured.
Most of Karachi continues to remain shut for the second consecutive day, but some petrol stations have started reopening along Shahra-e-Faisal.
The MQM has demanded a high-level inquiry into Raza Haider’s murder and has put the blame for the killing on Awami National Party.
Twenty arrests have been made in connection with the killings.
The CID has also arrested three suspects with explosives who are said to have links with banned militant outfits.
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Five people have been injured in a grenade attack in the Sakhi Hassan area of Karachi on Wednesday.
According to sources, the attack was on a Mosque in Block N, Nazimabad.
Earlier, four bodies were recovered from various localities of Orangi Town in Karachi, while one person was shot dead and three others were injured in firing incidents in the Kharadar area.
The death toll in the wake of Karachi violence now stands at 73 and 130 have been injured.
Most of Karachi continues to remain shut for the second consecutive day, but some petrol stations have started reopening along Shahra-e-Faisal.
The MQM has demanded a high-level inquiry into Raza Haider’s murder and has put the blame for the killing on Awami National Party.
Twenty arrests have been made in connection with the killings.
The CID has also arrested three suspects with explosives who are said to have links with banned militant outfits.
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Six wounded in mosque attack in violent Karachi
04 Aug 2010 18:34:16 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Fears of instability in Pakistan's commercial hub
* Shops remain closed
* Militants find hiding places in Karachi (Recasts with grenade attack)
By Faisal Aziz
KARACHI, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Six people were wounded when unidentified attackers hurled a grenade at a Karachi mosque during evening prayers on Wednesday, police said.
The attack, on top of the violent deaths of more than 12 people on Tuesday night, deepened fears of instability in Pakistan's commercial hub.
Police and officials said a total of 70 people had been killed since Monday, following the assassination of Raza Haider, a lawmaker in the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), the dominant political party in the city.
The government blamed Taliban insurgents and the banned militant group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) for his killing.
Some analysts said persistent violence could damage the already struggling economy. Karachi is home to the country's main port, the central bank and the stock exchange, and home to some 18 million people.
Analysts' concern was heightened by the flight of Taliban militants to Karachi, a teeming city that is easy to hide in, after army offensives against their strongholds in the northwest.
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"Four people were shot dead in one incident late last night, while six to seven trucks parked under a bridge were also burnt," Karachi police chief Waseem Ahmed told Reuters.
No further information was immediately available about the grenade attack on the mosque.
VIOLENCE-SCARRED CITY
Hospital sources and officials said at least 12 people were shot and killed and more than 150 wounded overnight in an escalation of the violence that has gripped the city since Haider and his bodyguard were shot down at a funeral.
The MQM has called for three days of mourning.
Early on Wednesday, unknown people set fire to several mobile phone shops in a main market in the city.
Police said more than 50 vehicles have been burnt and dozens of shops set on fire since Haider's killing. Dozens of people have been arrested on charges of violence, they said, and most shops and fuel stations in the city stayed closed on Wednesday.
"The situation is not good. I will wait for a few hours to see how it goes and if other people in the market also open shops, then I will as well," said Muhammad Jawaid, standing outside his closed bakery.
Trading was again dull at the Karachi Stock Exchange.
Karachi has a long history of ethnic, religious and sectarian violence. It was a main target of al Qaeda-linked militants after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, when Pakistan joined the U.S.-led campaign against militancy, and foreigners were attacked in the city several times.
Including this week's killings, officials say at least 214 people have been killed in targeted attacks since the start of the year, though analysts and political parties say the number is likely much higher. (Additional reporting by Sahar Ahmed; Editing by Michael Georgy and Miral Fahmy)
(For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/afghanistanpakistan)
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Death toll from three days of violence rises to 86. PHOTO: AFP
One person was killed in a firing incident in the Ayub Goth of New Karachi on Thursday.
Updated from print edition (below)
Karachi caught up in vicious cycle of violence
At least 31 more people were killed in Karachi on Wednesday as the city remained caught up in a vicious cycle of violence since the assassination of MQM lawmaker Raza Haider on Monday. According to an unofficial tally, at least 86 people have been killed in unabated rioting in the last three days.
The killing spree continued despite heavy deployment of police and paramilitary rangers in the most vulnerable neighbourhoods of the city, pointing to the government’s inability to check the bloodbath in the commercial hub of the country.
Though a semblance of normalcy returned to the city on Wednesday morning when some petrol pumps and educational institutions reopened, but at dusk sporadic violence erupted in some neighbourhoods of the city. Petrol pumps were shut immediately when news of trouble spread. As night fell, violence escalated, with reports of gunshots and rioting in several areas. Orangi and Baldia towns were the worst affected localities where most of the killings were reported on Monday. In one brazen attack, a man was abducted and forced to identify his home. The abductors then barged into his house and opened random fire, killing three sleeping persons on the spot. Later, the abductee was also shot dead.
Another incident, two men riding a motorbike hurled a hand grenade in a mosque in the North Nazimabad neighbourhood of the city. The attack took place at a time when people had gathered for Isha prayers. Police say the mosque, Jamia Shamsul Ulum Suroor, is under the supervision of the Sunni Tehreek. Five people were wounded in the attack.
Separately, arsonists burnt down some shops in the Saddar and Metroville areas. And in Mujeeb Goth and Orangi Town, gunmen opened indiscriminate fire, injuring 14 people, among them women and children.
Meanwhile, police have releases sketches of two men allegedly involved in the killing of MQM MPA Raza Haider. The sketches have been made with the help of eyewitnesses. The city police held out any assurance that they would track down the killers.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 5th, 2010.
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Security remains tight in Karachi as tension prevails. PHOTO: RASHID AJMERI/EXPRESS
KARACHI: Three people including security in-charge of Awami National Party (ANP) were killed on Thursday in target killing incident with Airport Police limits.
Police sources told The Express Tribune that the incident took place near Star gate at around 4.15 pm when some gunmen shot and killed Ubaidullah Yousufzai and Saleem Akhtar. The bodies were shifted to Jinnah Hospital where a large number of people gathered and chanted slogans against the killers.
According to spokesperson for ANP Yousufzai was security in-charge (Saalar) of their party and was working in Cargo Department of PIA.
Violent reaction
In reaction to the killings, some people came out to protest on the streets and set a bus on fire in Sultanabad. Sources in the Fire Brigade department said that the enraged people threatened the rescue staff who rushed to extinguish the fire.
There were also reports of aerial firing at the mortuary and stones being pelted on moving vehicles. Markets and shops have closed down in certain areas.
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Karachi is once again in the grip of target killings, as 13 people have been gunned down in separate locations. The Sindh government has ordered security agencies to be on red alert, while several suspects have been arrested from various areas.
Two people including an ANP leader were killed in the vicinity of Karachi Airport by unidentified attackers.
The other killings took place in Orangi town, Banaras, Korangi town, Malir, Sohrab Goth and Nazimabad.
Later, ANP activists damaged many vehicles at the National Highway to protest the killing of their leader.
Police and Rangers have arrested several suspects from different areas in this connection.
Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza said killers of ANP’s provincial leader Ubaid-ullah Yousuf Zai will soon be caught. He also said that the arrest of culprits behind MQM leader Raza Haider’s murder was a major success.
While speaking to ANP Sindh President Shahi Syed, Mirza expressed deep sorrow over the target killing of Yousaf Zai.
He called for the ANP to remain patient as police,rangers and military forces have been placed on red alert.
Mirza added that the situation would never have worsened if all political parties were given freedom to carry out their normal functioning.
He also hinted that Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and other banned organisations were involved in such murders in the past as well.
Updated from print edition (below)
ANP man’s killing opens up fresh vein for blood-letting
At least 10 people were killed and 11 injured in violence that spread after the murder of an Awami National Party (ANP) office-bearer on Thursday.
Ubaidullah Yousafzai, son of Umriz Khan, was the security in-charge of ANP Sindh and was employed as a cargo operator at the PIA Cargo Terminal. The 53-year-old was on his way to work with his 45-year-old friend, Saleem Akhtar, on Thursday when they were both gunned down within the jurisdiction of Airport police station.
According to the police, a few unidentified men in a Suzuki Cultus intercepted the victims’ car around 2:15 pm and opened indiscriminate fire. Both of them sustained multiple bullet wounds and succumbed to their injuries on their way to Jinnah hospital.
SHO Airport Abdul Gaffar Korai told The Express Tribune that Yousafzai hails from Swabi. Akhtar was the assistant administration clerk and was a resident of Malir Cantt.
As the bodies of victims were taken to Jinnah hospital, a large number of people reached the hospital morgue and shouted slogans against the killers. Enraged protesters also took to the streets and forced people to shut down business as they resorted to aerial firing in different parts of the city.
At least 10 vehicles were also torched in Sultanabad, Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony and Old Sabzi Mandi. The worst-affected areas included Abul Hassan Isphahani Road, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Quaidabad, Steel Town, Malir, Landhi, Korangi, Sultanabad, Banaras and Orangi Town.
Four people were injured in firing near Qasba Morr. They were taken to Civil hospital where 22-year-old Ubaid succumbed to his injuries. The remaining three victims, 25-year-old Shamshad, Asif, Fazal and Mukhtar, are believed to be in stable condition.
Meanwhile, two people were killed in firing near Fazal Flour Mills. The bodies were shifted to Jinnah hospital. SHO Awami Colony police station said that they have yet to identify the bodies but he confirmed that they were part of target killings.
In another incident, two motorcyclists shot and killed Sajid Ahmed, son of Sadiq, near Old Sabzi Mandi within the jurisdiction of PIB police station.
The Rangers also shot dead a man within the jurisdiction of Sachal Police Station. According to the police, the deceased, identified as Sharfuddin, was forcibly closing shops and started firing at the Rangers when they approached him. The police have yet to find out which party he was affiliated with.
A 60-year-old man, Anwaruddin was shot dead in Malir. His body was taken to Jinnah hospital. SHO Saudabad Izhar Hussain said that the victim was going for Maghrib prayers when unidentified motorcyclists shot him near the RCD ground. He was not affiliated with any party and may have been killed by mistake.
Two people were also killed in Baldia Town. According to the police, Sagheer was killed by unidentified men after they intercepted a bus and killed him with a sharp-edged weapon. His body was shifted to Civil hospital.
Meanwhile, a young boy was shot dead in Saeedabad Sector 19-D of Baldia Town. The police have yet to identify the boy but said that he appears to be in his teens. There were also reports of firing at Zamzama and Boat Basin that forced people to stay inside restaurants.
The chief of police could not be reached for comment but in a statement from Central Police Office, he directed the police to ensure the arrest of the culprits.
ANP’s spokesperson Abdul Malik said that the party will observe three days of mourning. “We are following the code of conduct and do not want to blame anyone,” he said.
ANP Sindh spokesman Qadir Khan said that if the killers are not arrested in 72 hours, they would be forced to announce a three-day strike and the leadership would be forced to consider leaving the government.
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Wali Khan Babar murder : One by one, 4 men linked to investigations bumped off By Adil Jawad
Published: April 16, 2011
Wali Khan Babar, 29, was shot dead on January 13. PHOTO: FILE KARACHI:
Two policemen, a police officer’s brother and one informer linked to the investigations into Geo reporter Wali Khan Babar’s murder on January 13 have been methodically targeted over four months.
Wali Khan Babar was shot dead in Liaquatabad No. 1 near the Apwa school as he was going home from office. The Special Investigation Unit was tasked with the case.
“All four victims are linked to the case,” said a police officer who did not want to be named because of the inherent dangers in investigating the case. Even the Karachi chief of police, Saud Mirza, admitted in a press conference on April 7 that there was a problem. “There are threats to the lives of the investigators of this case,” he said, “but we are making arrangements for the foolproof security of these officers.” At the press conference, the police announced that five men had been taken into custody.
First victim
The first victim was Rajab Ali Bengali, a police informer, who was found dead, his body in a sack, on January 29 in Gulshan-e-Iqbal No. 6. The police found in his pocket a slip of paper with the name of head constable Arshad ‘Kundi’ written on it. The note said that Kundi would be “next”. An officer involved in the investigation explained that HC Kundi was linked to the Babar case as he was taking information from Bengali and was giving it to TPO Liaquatabad Naveed Khwaja.
Second victim
The second victim was police constable Asif Rafiq who was killed in a drive-by shooting by two men on a motorcycle on his way home to Liaquatabad’s police lines on January 31. He was linked to the case as he had identified the vehicle Babar’s attackers used. He was at the spot at the time of the murder and noted down its registration number.
Third victim
The third victim was head constable Arshad Kundi (linked to victim No. 1). On March 19, he was shot dead in a drive-by attack by two men on a motorcycle in Sohrab Goth. He worked with the Gulshan-e-Iqbal investigations police.
Fourth victim
The fourth victim, Naveed Khan, was the brother of SHO Supermarket Shafiq Tanoli, who was part of the investigations. Naveed Khan was shot dead on April 7, the same day chief of police Saud Mirza gave a press briefing on the Wali Khan Babar case. “This was done to pressure me,” Tanoli has told journalists, while referring to the Wali Khan Babar case.
He told The Express Tribune on Friday: “I was a member of the team formed with the TPO Liaquatabad to investigate this case. We arrested an important suspect from the Punjab. Aside from this, there was no other reason why someone would target my family. We’ve looked at all other possibilities.”
The SIU’s joint interrogation team has concluded that Babar was followed soon after he left his office at Shaheen Complex that day. One of the arrested men is alleged to have told the police that he was given information from the office that Babar had left the building.
On April 7, the police chief announced that five men involved in target killings, including Babar’s murder were arrested. The men were identified as Faisal Mehmood, Muhammed Ali Rizvi, Muhammad Shahrukh Khan, Syed Tahir Naveed Shah and Muhammed Shakeel. They were arrested from Gulshan-i-Iqbal.
At least 17 to 18 men were involved in the journalist’s murder, and Faisal ‘Mota’ was the mastermind, while three other accused men are still missing. The murder was planned in KBR Colony at Mota’s house for January 12. After they failed to locate Babar, they followed him from his office and intercepted him near Apwa College.“Babar was killed for his daring reporting about target killers, land grabbers and drug peddlers,” said the CCPO. The men are hardened criminals and involved in other target killings, but we are not sure of their political affiliations, added Mirza.
On April 9, the five men were remanded to the custody of the SIU till April 18.
The police claimed to have found a Suzuki Cultus, registration number ADZ- 301, which was used by the alleged killers. It was this car that helped the police find the main culprit in the case, Liaquat, who is allegedly a city government employee.
Murtaza Khan Babar, the victim’s brother, told The Express Tribune that they could not comment on the case until the challan was presented. “We want justice,” he said. “Wali Babar won’t come back but at least if the culprits are punished this won’t happen again.”
He is disappointed with the reaction from the ‘leaders’ of the Pakhtuns. “They used to first sell water and petrol and now they are selling our blood,” he said, adding that none of them had come to even condole.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 16th, 2011.
For more on this issue follow: targetkilling
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