Target-killings claim 15 more lives in Karachi

KARACHI: Fresh violence has claimed at least 15 lives in last 24 hours in separate incidents of target-killings in Karachi.

The deadly incidents of target-killings continued from Friday night in which two people were killed while some 13 more lost their lives on Saturday.

Panic gripped various areas including Orangi Town and adjacent localities where nine people have so far been killed in the recent wave of target killings.

According to the reports, tension escalated on Friday when activists of Awami National Party (ANP) were engaged in an opening ceremony of new party office at Qasba Colony. The ceremony turned violent when Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists exchanged intense firing with the rival group claiming two lives. Firing between two rival groups though continued in various areas of Karachi but the worst-affected area was Orangi Town.

Sources confirmed 15 bodies were brought to the hospitals. Those identified were Naik Muhammad, M Rasool, Badshah, Toti Khan, Sajid Omar, Sajid Ehsan, Fahim Baig, while four unknown bodies had been shifted to the morgue for identification after autopsy.

Earlier, two men including Javed and Shareef were gunned down at Orangi Town on Friday. Violence spread in the entire City while the situation remained tense at Qasba Colony, Mominabad, Bukhari Colony and Banaras Chowk.

In the first incident of violence on Saturday, one Rasool Khan, a rickshaw driver was gunned down near Qasba More by unidentified suspects, who opened indiscriminate firing at him when he was waiting for the passengers while the culprits managed to flee from the scene.

According to a Press release, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf, Rasool Khan was their party member, though earlier, ANP claimed his affiliation with their party.

Soon after this, a young man, apparently a Pashto-speaking, was killed near 1-C bus stop, Orangi Town within the limits of Mominabad police limits.

In Orangi Town , the bodies of two young men, apparently Pakhtun speaking, were found from the Shadab ground located in Orangi Town police limits.

One was identified as Badshah Khan, but the other was yet to be identified. Police officials said that the men were killed after being kidnapped. Culprits gunned them down after subjecting them to torture.

Source - The Eastern Times