karachi17 more perish as violence continues

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Karachi

Seventeen people, including a police officer, were killed in the spate of violence in the city on Monday. Despite orders to ‘shoot on sight’ several shops, stalls, vehicles and godowns were torched in various parts of the city.

Intelligence sources said that the city was still under the grip of anti-social elements, but still had no inkling as to who is behind the recent spate of violence in the city. While reviewing the deaths reported during the past two days, only a couple of political activists were killed, while most targets were innocent citizens who were shopkeepers, vendors, watchmen, passers-by or belonged to the labour class. Sources added that the government should also increase the strength of the force, as a population of more than 20 million cannot be controlled with 17,000 police posted at various police stations of the city.

Sources have also stressed that due to the continuous killings of many watchmen, many have left their jobs and moved to safer places. Cobblers have also vacated their huts and most tea shops were closed due to continuous violence.

Details of Monday’s reported violence are as follows:In an incident of targeted killing, a Karachi Operation Officer was killed in the Landhi police limits. ASI Yaseen Baig, aged 45, was posted in SP Landhi Office. On Monday evening, he went to offer prayers at a mosque situated near the police station, and while returning, was shot dead by a man named Yaseen. The police said the criminal also offered prayers in the same mosque.

Asad Ali Sheikh, an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was shot dead near Jauhar More, while his collegue Syed Haidar Rizvi sustained injuries. Residents of Raees Omria Colony, Orangi Town alleged that on Monday afternoon armed men entered the colony and resorted to indiscriminate firing in which five people were killed and several injured. The concerned police stations refused to intervene.

At Banaras Chowk, armed men killed a teenaged boy, Khurram, aged 14, and injured Tehseen, while Imran, aged 25, and Hanif, aged 30, were shot dead by armed men in the Rizvia Society area.

In Zaman Town, unidentified armed men kidnapped a watchman Jumma Gul, aged 25, of a godown in Korangi-6, tied his hands and set the godown on fire. Gul was immolated in the incident. Another watchman Gul Bahadur, 30, was shot dead by armed men in Block-10A, Gulshan-i-Iqbal. His associate, Gulaab Khan, sustained injuries but fled. Watchman Gul Zada was shot dead by armed men near Jauhar Morr.

The body of an unidentified man, aged 25, and bearing torture marks was found from Sector-11 of the Orangi Town police limits. Another unidentified man was tortured and torched by criminals in Sharjah ground in the Mominabad area. An unidentified bullet-riddled body of a man, aged 30, was found from Korangi-51C. An unidentified fruit vendor, aged 30, was shot dead opposite Bait-ul-Mukarram mosque. In Moachko limits, Noor Mohammed was shot dead. In Pakistan Bazaar Mohammed Aziz was gunned down by armed persons. In yet another case, armed men riding on a motorcycle entered in Sector-9F of Saeedabad and opened fire on a hotel in which Abidwali, aged 23, was killed, while three others sustained serious injuries.

Meanwhile, two people were gunned down in New Karachi and Al-Falah police limits. Shehzob Khan, a peanut seller, was killed by armed assailants in the Gulshan-i-Qaderi area of Al-Falah police limits. In a separate case, Sher Afzal, a truck driver, was shot dead by armed men near Godraan Camp, New Karachi.

Anti-social elements also damaged property in the city. Four vehicles were torched in Banaras Chowk, Qasba and Sohrab Goth areas. A dumper was torched in New Karachi. A Suzuki pick-up was torched in Haryana Colony.

A carton godown was torched in Baldia Town. Armed men torched Peshawari Ice-cream shop in Landhi-3. A snooker club was torched near Qasba Morr. Four stalls were torched by armed men in Karimabad area. A shop was also torched in Madina Market, Khokhrapar, while a teashop was torched in Ranchore Lines.

Armed men also resorted to aerial firing in various areas including Tariq Road, Saddar, North Nazimabad, Gulshan, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, New Karachi, Manghopir, Peerabad, SITE and Sohrab Goth. —SBP