January 18, 2006	Wednesday	Zilhaj 17, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 17: A furniture trader was shot dead by unknown persons in Liaquatabad and a political activist was gunned down in Khokhrapar on Tuesday.

Police said three suspects on a motorcycle came to the furniture shop of Mohammad Arif in the Sharifabad police limits and shot him dead at point blank range. Following the shooting the suspects escaped on their motorcycle.

The victim was rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Following the incident, the area shopkeepers pulled down their shutters in protest. Area people said the killing seemed to be the result of non-payment of extortion money.

An elderly man affiliated with the Mohajir Quami Movement was shot dead by unidentified men in Khokhrapar here on Tuesday.

Police said Qamar Niaz, 65, resident of Gulistan-i-Jauhar, had taken part in the general election of 2002 on the Mohajir Quami Movement ticket for NA-257. Mr Niaz went in his car to Khokhrapar, where he was attacked by two motorcyclists. He suffered bullet wounds and died on the spot.

His body was taken to a hospital, where the doctors pronounced him dead. Police said they were investigating the killing as to whether it was the result of personal enmity or an incident of target killing.

ACCIDENT: A man died in a road accident in Liaquatabad on Tuesday. Police said Abu Bakar, 35, was disembarking from a minibus when he was crushed to death by a UTS bus coming from behind.

The victim died on the spot and his body was sent to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for legal formalities.

DACOITY: Armed suspects robbed a house of cash and valuables in North Karachi in broad daylight on Tuesday.

Area residents said three suspects on a motorcycle barged into the house R-72, Sector 8, in North Karachi, owned by Mr Ajazuddin, and shortly afterwards some guests had come to the house.

The suspects held the family members at gunpoint and escaped after collecting Rs80,000 cash, jewellery worth of Rs70,000 and prize bonds worth Rs90,000.

In addition, they took away six cellphones from the family and guests. The robbery occurred in the limits of the Sir Syed police station.

ARRESTS: Police on Tuesday arrested a gang of four alleged robbers for their activities in SITE.

Police said that they raided the hideout of the robbers and seized the looted property, cash and weapons.

Police said the robbers had confessed to having committed a robbery in a factory in SITE on Jan 13.

Police claimed to have seized the looted property and said that more robberies would be detected during interrogation with the suspected robbers.