Although the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) claimed to have conducted operations to maintain peace in the city, there is no mitigation in the intensity of targeted killing incidents as 10 more persons including two advocates fell prey to the ongoing spate of violence in separate incidents at various pats of metropolis here on Friday.
According to police, two more advocates were shot dead near FTC Bridge Sharah Faisal Road within the limits of Brigade police station. The tragic incident took place near FTC Bridge where advocate Mohammad Saleem Bhatti and Advocate Faheem Riaz were targeted when they were going in a car (Z-9053). Resultantly both received bullets on their faces and died on the spot.
On being informed, heavy contingents of police rushed to the spot and shifted the bodies to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for post-mortem. President of Karachi Bar Association Mohammad Aaqil advocate condemned the said incident and announced to suspend all courts' activities on Saturday.
Police said the victims were the member of Muslim League (N) Lawyers' Forum and Saleem Bhatti was the vice-president of the forum. Police said both victims were on the way to home after meeting with their friends Khalil and Faheem.
Police said the deceased Faheem was the resident of Liaquat Square Malir, while Saleem was the resident of Sheikh Arcade Tariq Road. No case was registered till filing of this report. It is pertained to mention that four advocates were gunned down in three incidents during last eight days.
Three persons were gunned down when unidentified armed attackers opened indiscriminate gunshots at two café located near Sindhi hotel in New Karachi Industrial Area police remits. The armed riders, who first targeted New Quetta Hotel and then Quetta Bismillah Hotel, killed three persons namely Saeed, 35, son of Jummah Khan, Ikhlaq, 20 and Subhan, 28. Police said all three victims were Pukhtoons and hailed from Quetta.
Following the above-said incident, tension engulfed in the surrounding areas of New Karachi including Godhra Society, Nullah Stop, Sindhi hotel and others where all shops and markets were closed due to uncertain condition. A businessman was shot dead while his maid was injured in a drive-by armed attack near Nagan Chowrangi in Sir Syed police precincts.
Police said the deceased Anwar, 40, son of Noorul Islam, who resided in Peoples Chowrangi area, was targeted when he was going along with his maid namely Fatima, 12, in his car near Nagan roundabout. Police suspected the victim might have been murdered over personal enmity.
One 30-year-old Faheem-ul-Haq alias Moon, son of Naeem-ul-Haq, was gunned down near Punjab Colony. Police said the deceased, who was recently released from jail on bail, was killed by his accomplices. Meanwhile, three bullet-riddled bodies were found from different parts of the city.
One Imran, 27, son of Mohammad Khan was found dead from Khajji ground in Rizvia police limits while two more bodies of youths were found from Kalakot and Orangi Town, respectively. Police said the identities of victims were yet to be ascertained while the culprits kidnapped them from some places and then murdered and threw their bodies at the said places.
Meanwhile, the sources said the LEAs have released 70 persons, who were detained in Thursday's overnight search from different parts of metropolis. The search operations were launched in the most volatile areas of city. The areas were Old Subzi Mandi, PIB Colony, Essa Nagri, Medina Colony, Orangi Town, Qasba Colony, Bukhari Colony, Gulfamabad, Kati Pahari and Aligarh Colony. However, the police officials denied the same.
It is interesting to mention, although the IGP police Wajid Ali Durrani claimed to have directed his policemen to take stern measures against the miscreants, the police, who were supposed to abide by the same, were busy in minting money from pillion riders.