KARACHI, Jan 2: As many as 88 people fell prey to target shootings in 2003 as compared to 87 such deaths in the year 2002.
There was no significant decline in the incidents of target killings despite the fact that the police have been divided into two segments on a functional basis i.e. operations and investigation.
Those killed included activists of religious and political parties, doctors, government officials, a former deputy speaker and a former MPA. Two people were killed in January 2003, while 19 people lost their lives in February, three in March, four in April, four in May, 10 in June, two in July, 11 in August, nine in September, 13 in October, one in November and 10 in December.
February was the worst month in terms of law and order situation as a significant rise in target killings was noticed in the month, followed by October, August, June, and December.
Those killed in the previous year included former deputy speaker Abdul Raziq Khan; former MPA Khalid bin Waleed; Chief of the Zikri Anjuman, Abdul Ghani Baloch; President of PML labour wing Azam Khan Mahsood; madressah teacher Qari Mohammad Mian Saeedi; Ashraf Khan Advocate; and a dismissed police inspector Zeeshan Kazmi, who played a pivotal role in Karachi operation launched by the then interior minister Naseerullah Babar.
In 2003, 13 Muttahida men were made target, including MPA Khalid bin Waleed besides, two women activists - Yasmeen and Shaheen Tajammul. Seven activists of Mohajir Quami Movement were also targeted in the year.
Thirteen policemen lost their lives in target killings, while 29 people were executed in sectarian killings. However, there was a sharp decline in incidents of target shooting of doctors as three doctors were shot dead during the previous year.
A paediatrician Dr Mohammad Nazeer was shot dead at his clinic on April 4 in New Karachi. Dr Ibne Hasan was shot dead near his clinic in Malir on Aug 16. An assistant medical director administration of the Liaquat National Hospital Dr Shoaib Shafiq was gunned down near the same hospital on April 19.
The killing of Dr Ibne Hasan sent a wave of anger among residents of Malir, who took to streets, lit bonfire, blocked Sharea Faisal and the main railway line. The rail and vehicular traffic remained suspended throughout the day.
A new trend of target killings was witnessed in 2003. The gang-war between two underworld groups (as described by senior police officials) claimed seven lives in the previous year as two men were shot dead on Nov 5 in Liaquatabad and three others were gunned down in the same vicinity on Oct 18. Two more were killed in a blast at Kawish Crown on Sharea Faisal on July 11.
Another blast in the same building on Sept 19 caused extensive damage to its 10th floor, but no casualty was reported. Officials said the two bomb explosions which occurred in the Kawish Crown might be an outcome of the gang-war.
A senior police official cited shortage of manpower in the operations wing as a major handicap in proper crime prevention. He said a total of 13,400 police officials were available for operational duties and by deducting a strength of 7,000 policemen who remain on unsanctioned security duties, 5,387 personnel are left for crime prevention.
The 7,000 personnel who help in the crime prevention are deployed at 2,223 mosques/ Imambargahs, 869 Madaris, 103 foreign missions, 31 food-chains, 205 vital installations, 84 temples, 213 churches/ hotels, 99 multinational companies, 277 petrol pumps and individual security of high risk dignitaries, including judges, he explained.
Likewise, ministers and advisors are also provided additional security. As a result, a total of 100 police mobile vans and 7,000 policemen remain on additional security duties.
Of the available 5,387 personnel, half of the strength remains on additional security duty of the president or the prime minister on their arrival in the metropolis, leaving the city at the mercy of criminal elements.
He suggested that a security police wing be made with the allocation of a considerable strength of manpower for the use of security duties only. About police reforms, the officials were of the view that when there were no funds to meet the recurring expenses of a police station and the staff of a police station is forced to run its affairs on "self-help" basis, the police might resort to misuse of power and extort money from citizens to meet their recurring expenses.
They said it was an irony that the staff of a police station itself arranges funds for printing FIR books which is supposed to be the most important document of registered crimes.
MORE INCIDENTS: A carpet trader Shahzad Iqbal, 45, was shot dead in Sindhi Muslim Housing Society on Oct 30. Six employees of the Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission (Suparco) were shot dead on Oct 3 by three motorcyclists on Hub River Road near Suparco checkpost when they were going to offer Juma prayers in an Imambargah.
Two Muttahida activists were shot dead in Liaquatabad on Sept 2, and after their burial in Yasinabad, some unidentified assailants gunned down six people near the Yasinabad graveyard.
Five brothers in a car were shot dead on Aug 9 on Jahangir Road while they were on their way to their home in Husainabad. Owner of a coffee house and his nephew both of Iranian origin were shot dead on M.A. Jinnah Road on Feb 27. Nine people were shot dead and seven others wounded on Feb 22 by two motorcyclists outside Imambargah Muntazirul Mehdi in Rifah-i-Aam Society.
