Shaukat Raza Mirza, MD of PSO, and driver shot dead

26-07-200 KARACHI July 26, 2001: Managing-Director Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Shaukat Raza Mirza was shot dead in an ambush by two unidentified masked men near the PSO House in Clifton, here on Thursday, police said. The gunmen seriously wounded his driver Suleman, who later died at a local hospital, the police said. Having left his Kehkeshan Colony residence at 8:25 am, the 62-year-old Mirza was proceeding towards the PSO Head Office in his silver-coloured chauffeur-driven BMW car (ABP-818). As soon as the car reached the junction of Chaudhry Khaliq-uz-Zaman Road and Adam Road, a few hundred yards away from Frere Police Station, two masked gunmen, on a motorbike, intercepted it. One of the gunmen shot him in his neck, an eyewitness told senior police officers. While Mirza slumped on the seat, the chauffeur tried to rush the car towards the PSO House, the eyewitness said, adding that during his bid, the car dashed into the rear part of a minibus and came to a halt. The gunmen came closer to the car and opened fire indiscriminately, resulting in the death of the PSO MD and severe injuries to his driver. The assailants fled from the crowded scene, another eyewitness said. A police mobile shifted the two to Jinnah Post-graduate Medical Centre and informed the police high-ups of the incident. While confirming the incident, SP Clifton Muneer Shaikh said that the cause of the killing was not yet clear. Hospital sources said that Mirza was brought to the hospital dead, and his chauffeur Suleman succumbed to his wounds while a team of senior doctors was trying to save his life. "Both the victims sustained bullet wounds in their necks and chests, which caused their deaths," said a doctor. Some sources are linking the killing to the planned retrenchment of over 1,000 PSO employees under a voluntary retirement scheme. Surprisingly, Mirza was killed the same way the KESC MD, Malik Shahid Hamid, was killed in November 1997 near his Clifton residence. It is also believed that Mirza had ordered the reopening of some very serious corruption cases, as did Malik Shahid Hamid and both had to lose their lives. Shaukat Raza Mirza took charge as MD PSO in February last. Before this, he was the president of Engro Chemical. One of Pakistan's leading business executives, Mirza was the man behind the success story of Engro Chemical Pakistan, having masterminded the conversion of the Esso Fertilizer into the employees-owned Engro Chemical Pakistan. Mirza was also the president of Bahbud, a non-governmental organisation working for poor women. He was also on the board of directors of Pakistan Refinery Limited and chairman of the board of Engro Chemical Pakistan Limited and International General Insurance Company. Mirza was also the chairman of Oil Companies Advisory Committee in Pakistan and a member of the Commonwealth Business Council, set up in 1998 to encourage international trade and investment within Commonwealth and to create dialogue for public and private sector roles. Mirza started his career with Esso Standard Eastern as a mechanical engineering after graduating from Engineering University Lahore. He was also the holder of master's degree in chemical engineering from Birmingham University, UK. He also attended a post-graduate programme in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. Before Joining PSO, Mirza served Exxon Chemical International for 25 years with a shining career. After a series of assignments in the US and Hong Kong, he became president and general manager Exxon Chemical International Supply Company Hong Kong in 1979. In 1988, he was appointed as president and chief executive officer of Exxon Chemical Pakistan Limited. In 1991, he successfully led an employee buy-out of Exxon equity in the company in partnership with international and local financial institutions and the company was renamed as Engro Chemical Pakistan Ltd. Mirza retired from Engro Chemical in July 1997. In 1988, Mirza was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of Exxon Chemical Pakistan Limited. In the wake of the incident, PSO's share price fell Rs 1.20 or 0.9 per cent to Rs 122.35 on Thursday. Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Usman Aminuddin and Secretary Petroleum Abdullah Yousuf have expressed profound grief over the tragic demise of Mirza. Chairman PSO M Salim and other staffers have also expressed condolence over the sad demise of Shaukat Mirza. Meanwhile, the Namaz-e-Janazah of the victim was offered at Imambargah-e-Yasreb Defence after Maghrib prayers, following which he was buried at Gizri graveyard. He leaves behind his wife, a son and two daughters. The Frere police have registered a murder case on the complaint of his son, Shahrukh Ali Raza Mirza, against unknown accused. Jhangvi group says it is responsible KARACHI, July 30 2001: The Lashkar-i-Jhangvi has claimed responsibility for the murder of PSO managing director Shaukat Mirza and the defence ministry official, Syed Zafar Hussain. In a joint press statement on Monday, chief of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi Riaz Basra and Lashkar's divisional chief , Lal Mohammed have claimed responsibility for both the killings. They also warned that any government functionary resorting to abuse of power would face the same fate. "We had urged the President, General Pervez Musharraf, not to implement the death sentence awarded to Sheikh Haq Nawaz as it could prove harmful for the integrity of the country but the government went ahead with its plan to appease a neighbouring country," said the statement. They said they would not shun their struggle, come what may, added the statement.-NNI TJP slams muder of Saukat Mirza HYDERABAD, July 29 2001: A large number of Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan workers staged a demonstration in front of the press club here on Sunday to protest against the murders of Shaukat Raza Mirza, managing director of PSO, in Karachi, Syed Ziaul Hassan and other Shiite leaders in the country. Speaking to the demonstrators, who were led by Sindh TJP secretary general Syed Kazim Hussain Shah Naqvi, Allama Mohammad Ali Jarwar, Allama Altaf Hussain Al-Hussaini, Allama Ahmed Ali Memon, Allama Imdad Ali Nasimi and Nizamul Haideri, condemned the murders of the prominent Shiite leaders throughout the country. They said they should not be compelled to retaliate, and appealed to Allama Sajjad Ali Naqvi and Allama Hassan Turabi to order the Shiites to launch a civil disobedience movement throughout the country. They demanded the immediate arrest of the killers of their leaders and ban "terrorist" organization. Need a Web site? Get YourOwnWebsite.com FREE! More than 1000 Websites templates, Unlimited Hosting Starting at $1.45 Powered by: Geocities.ws