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KARACHI, Feb 17: Business activities in many parts of the metropolis were badly hampered on Monday amid mixed feelings of fear, tension, shock and confusion among the citizens throughout the day following the killing of Khalid Bin Waleed, a senior leader and former legislator of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Sunday.
Though the MQM did not give a strike call to mourn his death or protest against the attack by unidentified assailants armed with automatic weapons, business activities in the MQM dominated areas, including Gulberg, Liaquatabad and North Nazimabad of the formerly central district, remained suspended. Besides shops, markets, bazaars, offices and other business concerns, many bank branches in North Nazimabad and Federal B Area were did not open.
However, life in Gulshan Town, also a stronghold of the party, remained normal. In some localities of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, groups of youth forced some shopkeepers to pull down shutters in the morning but they reopened later in the day.
Similar was the situation in Jodia Bazaar, one of the oldest markets and business and trade hub of the city, and Denso Hall where youth marched through the streets in the early business hours calling for a shut down. The closure, however, lasted a few hours. Rest of the day passed off peacefully.
Fearing angry reaction from mourners, shopkeepers of autoparts markets, Japan Plaza and Tibet Centre as well as automobile dealers and traders running business along M. A. Jinnah Road, Preedy Street and adjoining areas opened their concerns late in the morning. They, too, faced no trouble till closing hours. The main shopping centres of Saddar and Tariq Road also remained opened during the day.
No unusual activity was witnessed in Defence and Clifton areas as all the shops, markets and stores opened at their normal timings and did business without any interruption.
FUNERAL: Hundreds of activists, workers, supporters and sympathizers of the MQM attended the Nimaz-i-Janaza of Khalid Bin Waleed with his relatives and friends at Jinnah Ground after Zohr prayers on Monday.
Later, his body was taken to Sakhi Hasan graveyard for burial.
Earlier, on Sunday evening, the body was taken to his residence in North Nazimabad following autopsy examination. Scores of people had gathered at the house. Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad also visited the residence of the former legislator. The body was kept at the Edhi morgue overnight where hundreds of youths had gathered since early morning.
His soyem will be held on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the MQM chief, Altaf Hussain, based in London, has strongly condemned the killing and termed it “barbaric murder”. He said: “disruptive elements targeted Khalid bin Waleed to spoil the peaceful atmosphere of Sindh.”
“They want to create an atmosphere of fear so that the MQM workers would retaliate Khalid’s murder.” He appealed to the people, especially his partymen, to understand the conspiracies by the disruptive elements and keep calm.
He stressed that MQM would not allow the law and order situation to deteriorate. He also appealed to the Sindh Chief Minister, Ali Mohammed Mahar, Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, the interior minister and others to take measures for the arrest the culprits.
FIR: The first information report (FIR) of Mr Waleed’s killing was lodged at the Taimuria police station on Monday. The injured Muttahida worker, Adnan, who was driving the car when ambushed, has lodged the FIR 24/2003 against two unknown assailants.
The SSP (Homicide), Manzoor Mughal, told Dawn that Mr Adnan helped draw the sketches of the two suspects.
Commenting over the pace of the investigation, the SSP said that no one had formally been arrested in the case so far.
Sources said that late on Sunday, police recovered two yellow cabs (Suzuki Alto) from the limits of Mubina Town police. One of them was snatched from the jurisdiction of the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police station while the other was taken away from Gulzar-i-Hijri on Sunday night.
Police sources said that no empties were found from any of the vehicle, but a conclusion could be reached after Forensic Science Laboratory Test.
Sources said that police wanted to grill Adnan, the key witness of the ambush who has received minor injuries.
Aftab Shaikh, a senior MQM leader, to Dawn that the assailants had been chasing Mr Waleed from somewhere in Azizabad. He said that the MQM leaders were exercising caution and restricting their movement. He said: “we believe it was not the last attack, more such attacks may by expected.”
