KARACHI, July 21: A policeman was killed while resisting an armed robbery attempt in a minibus on University Road near Old Sabzi Mandi on Thursday.

Officials said 48-year-old Juma Khan was returning to the Hassan Square police headquarters from his area of posting in a minibus when two youngsters got on the vehicle near Old Sabzi Mandi.

“Both pulled out pistols and one of them started collecting cash, cellphones and other valuables from the passengers,” said an official at the PIB Colony police station. “As one of the robbers reached Juma Khan, the latter put up some resistance that triggered firing from the other armed man. Three bullets hit the policeman, who died on the spot, and the armed men got off the moving vehicle.”

The official said the victim was posted in the security zone of the police organisational structure was returning to the headquarters after his duty hours.

“He originally hailed from Naushehro Feroze and living here alone. We have registered a case (FIR 177/2011) under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against unknown suspects.”

Two women shot dead

Two women were gunned down as soon as they stepped into a house in Liaquatabad to take its possession on a court order while a court nazir and some policemen were about to enter the place, officials said.

The officials added that 50-year-old Tahira with her 43-year-old sister, Shakira, were allegedly killed by their nephew after the two had won a family property case in the Sindh High Court.

The police picked up one man following the incident, though the prime suspect of the murder managed to escape.

“The house, situated in Rahmania Masjid street in Liaquatabad No 1, was claimed by the two sisters as their property,” said Super Market SHO Inspector Shafiq Tanoli. “The two sisters moved the court a few years back and won a verdict in their favour only a week ago. Today the court’s Nazir along with area police accompanied the two sisters for the house’s possession.”

However, he said, before the police moved in the two sisters entered the house where they came under the armed attack carried out by their nephew. The two died on the spot and the suspect escaped, he added.

“The two sisters claimed that the accused and his brother had taken over their house after their father’s death,” the SHO said.

Tahira was a primary school teacher. She had no child. Her younger sister, Shakira, was mother of five daughters and living in a rented home.

“We have arrested Faraz Qureshi, the younger brother of the main suspect. An initial probe suggested that they had already planned resistance against the court orders,” the inspector said.

The Super Market police later registered a case (FIR 161/2011) under Sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 302 and 34 of the PPC against Faraz Qureshi, elder brother Zulfiqar Qureshi and their father Zaheer Qureshi.