Two workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were gunned down in an incident of targeted killing near Two Minutes Chowrangi in the jurisdiction of Khawaja Ajmar Nagri Police Station on Monday. One of the two fleeing attackers was arrested after a brief encounter, police said.
According to details, two senior workers of the MQM were heading towards New Karachi Town Office when two pillion riders intercepted them near Two Minutes Chowrangi and sprayed them with bullets. Station House Officer (SHO) Khawaja Ajmar Nagri police Chaudhry Asghar said Aamir Iqbal and Muhammad Adnan, the two workers of the MQM, were going to their office in New Karachi Town office when two armed bike riders opened direct fire on them. Both received multiple gunshot injuries and died on spot, he added.
Later, their dead bodies were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) for treatment where doctors pronounced both of them dead. SHO Asghar said that both the deceased were senior workers of the MQM and belonged to the MQM Unit 142 New Karachi Sector. New Karachi Superintendent of Police (SP) Syed Salman Hussain said that police had arrested one of the two targeted killers. Two cops were standing outside a private bank near Two Minutes Chowrangi when they saw two pillion riders fleeing from the spot after shooting the two men, he claimed.
He said that both police constable took charge and chased the fleeing attackers. Sensing the gravity of the situation, the attackers opened fire on the police and a brief encounter ensued, he said, adding that police arrested one of two target killers in an injured condition. The SP said that the arrested person was identified as Sajid, while claiming that the nabbed person worked for Peoples Amn Committee (PAC).
MQM Chief Altaf Hussain had strongly condemned the killing of Muhammad Adnan and Amir Iqbal. He expressed his deep sympathies with the grieving family members of the slain men and said that the sacrifices given by the elected representatives and workers of the MQM would not go in vain.
He said that the brutal killers would meet their rightful end one day. He prayed to Allah to bless the departed souls and give courage and patience to their family members to bear the irreparable loss. Condemning the brutal murder, the MQM Rabita Committee termed the incident a continuation of the evil conspiracy to undermine peace and order in Karachi. It said that certain elements were targeting elected representatives and workers of the MQM, leaders of other political parties and religious scholars to destabilise the country by creating a law and order situation in the city.
The Rabita Committee condoled with the bereaved family members and asked workers and office-bearers of the MQM to foil the evil designs of terrorists by remaining united. The Rabita Committee further demanded of President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah to take notice of the killings of the MQM workers by the firing of armed terrorists.
Meanwhile, a torture-marked body of a 30-years-old man was recovered from Kashti Chowk Lyari. SHO Napier police said that the victim apparently seemed to be an ethnic Pakhtun in physical appearance but his identity could not be ascertained as yet. He said the body was moved to Edhi Home for identification.
In yet another incident, a 27-years-old man was shot dead near Crown Cinema in the remits of Kalri police. The identity of the deceased could not be ascertained until the filing of this report.
