August 20, 2008	Wednesday	Sha’aban 17, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 19: Three people, including a constable, were wounded on Tuesday in a shootout between policemen and two suspected robbers behind Gul Plaza, police and witnesses said.Nabi Bux police said two constables were patrolling the area on a motorcycle when at around 2.30pm they spotted the suspects on a motorcycle on Jubilee road.

They said the suspects initially slowed down their bike when the policemen — Mohammed Ishaq and Iftikhar Ali — signalled them to stop, but they suddenly sped up as the policemen started approaching them.

They said the policemen chased the fleeing suspects who stopped their bike near a petrol pump to take position and then they opened fire on the police party.

They said the police constables also retaliated and in the meanwhile a police mobile also joined them. The police said constable Ishaq and two passers-by were wounded in crossfire.

The police said one of the suspects was arrested following the shootout and his accomplice fled the scene.

They said the arrested suspect was identified as Shah Nawaz, resident of Lyari. A pistol and a motorcycle were seized from him.

The police said the suspect had also identified his accomplice, whose name was being withheld for the sake of investigation.

They said a case (122/08) against the suspect was registered under Section 353, 324 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of constable Iftikhar Ali.

The injured were shifted to the Jinnah Postgradaute Medical Centre where injured passers-by were identified as Shahmir Bhutto, son of Ghulam Mustafa Bhutto, and Dr Mohammed Ali Soomro.

Hospital sources said Bhutto, who hailed from Larkana and had come to the Gul Plaza for shopping, sustained a bullet wound to his left thigh, Dr Soomro to his lower abdomen and constable Ishaq received a bullet in his left arm.

They said injured Bhutto and Ishaq were discharged from the hospital after medical treatment, while Dr Soomro was admitted to the surgical intensive care unit in view of his condition. The sources said Dr Soomro’s condition was improving.