May 19, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1429

KARACHI, May 18: A man and a young girl were shot dead while two other women were critically wounded when their car came under attack near Bagh-i-Malir on Sunday morning, police said.

The victims, 40-year-old Aleem, 18-year-old Maryam, 19-year-old Sana and 30-year-old Mumtaz, were on their way to Malir City early in the morning when they were intercepted by two gunmen riding on a motorcycle. The gunmen opened indiscriminate fire on them, added the police.

“Aleem, who was driving the car and Maryam sitting beside him died on the spot,” said an official at Al Falah police station. “The two (Mumtaz and Sana) injured were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. We are not aware about the relationship among the victims.”

He said an FIR (106/2008) had been registered on a complaint of Hanif, elder brother of Aleem, against unknown persons under Section 302 of the PPC.

The police, however, said deceased Aleem was a real estate agent and belonged to Azad Kashmir, living in Gulshan-i-Malir, while the ancestral village of Maryam was stated to be near Multan.

“The two women (Mumtaz and Sana), who are being treated at the JPMC live in Azam Basti and their families have not yet approached the police or the hospital authorities,” added the police official.

Meanwhile, the body of a young man was found in the Defence Housing Authority. Police suspected that it was a case of suicide, officials said.

“The victim has been identified as 24-year-old Rameez, resident of Bilal Colony in Korangi,” said a Gizri police station official. “He was hit by a single bullet on the head from a very close range. An empty was also found beside him.”

He said the victim was a watchman at a real state office, which remained closed on Sundays. However, he said, police were waiting for the victim’s family to receive the body before registering a case. Later in the day, the Jamshed Quarters police busted a gang of street criminals wanted in more than a dozen cases of robberies and attempt to murder.

“The police moved on a tip-off and intercepted a vehicle on a road parallel to the Central Jail Karachi,” said an official at the Jamshed Quarter police station. “After brief resistance and a car chase, we arrested them near Jamshed Road.”

He said all the four men in the car were arrested, who had been identified as Naveed, Azim, Sajjad and Altaf Hussain.

“Police have seized a 7MM rifle, a repeater gun, two TT pistols, four magazines and 17 bullets from them. They are mostly wanted by Ferozabad, Jamshed Quartes and Mahmoodabad police stations,” added the official.

In another action, the New Town police arrested an alleged bandit while he was trying to snatch a taxi parked outside the Liaquat National Hospital.

“Police have seized a TT pistol from the accused and registered two separate FIRs (203 and 204/2008) against him for possessing an illegal weapon and robbery,” said an official.