27 February 2004	Friday	06 Muharram 1425

KARACHI, Feb 26: A trader was shot dead while his son was injured in an armed dacoity in Shah Faisal Colony on Thursday. Police said armed men in a Suzuki Mehran came to a beverage distributor, Mr Akhtar, 48, in Shah Faisal Colony and demanded cash.

Mr Akhtar tried to put up resistance to the dacoits, who opened fire at him and fled the spot after looting cash, the police said. Victim's son, Irfan, was also injured in the incident. Akhtar was rushed to the Aga Khan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Shah Faisal Town TPO Asif Ajaz told Dawn that the suspects managed to escape with Rs30,000. The victim hailed from Jehlum and resided near his shop.

UTP DIES: An under-trial prisoner died during treatment at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease on Thursday.

Police said that Habibullah, 65, was under treatment at the NICVD, where he died of cardiac arrest. He was arrested by the Site police, two years back, in a drug-related case, jail police added.

ACCIDENT: A young pedestrian died in a hit-and-run incident in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Thursday. Police said that Argun, 20, was crossing the main University Road near the Nadeem Medical Centre, when he was knocked down by an unidentified speeding vehicle. The police said that he was taken to the Jinnah Post-graduate Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

CHARAS SEIZED: Police on Wednesday seized 405kg charas from a vacant plot in Defence Phase-II, Extension.

SHO Defence police station Adnan Shahid told Dawn that police on a tip off raided a plot in 24th Commercial Street and recovered charas hidden in gunny bags. However, no arrest was made as the plot was vacant, he added. Police were investigating the case and an FIR 32/2004 was registered at the Defence police station, he said.