KARACHI: Three men belonging to the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen were shot dead in a targeted attack when they were returning home after filing their nomination forms for the Jan 18 local government election on Sunday evening, police said.

SSP-East Pir Muhammad Shah told Dawn that four assailants riding two motorbikes sprayed a yellow cab with bullets in the Dalmia area and rode away.

He said that three men and a woman were travelling in the taxi and they were heading home in Mughal Hazara Goth in Gulistan-i-Jauhar after filing their nomination forms at the office of the deputy commissioner, East, for the upcoming LG elections.

While the woman remained unhurt in the attack, the three men sustained serious bullet wounds. They were taken to a nearby private hospital where doctors pronounced two of them dead. The third one died in hospital during treatment, said Aziz Bhatti SHO Ghulam Hussain Pirzado.The police officer identified the victims as Abdul Aleem, Safdar and Syed Ali Shah, all aged between mid-20s and 40s.

“The victims were candidates of the MWM for LG election scheduled to be held on Jan 18,” said MWM spokesperson Ali Ahmer. “Our candidates are being threatened by a ‘political party’ in Karachi for their decision to contest the coming polls.”

Four of a family gunned down

Meanwhile, a couple and their two children, including an adopted son, were shot dead, while their third teenage daughter survived with a gunshot wound to her thigh and the fourth was allegedly subjected to sexual assault by unknown assailants in Mauripur area, officials said on Sunday.

Mauripur SHO believed the gruesome murders might have occurred after ‘the girls resisted attempt by their unknown tormentors to rape them,’ but SSP West disagreed with him saying the family had paid the price for their political affiliation and were killed by gangsters having links with banned Peoples Amn Committee.

The horrible incident led to a concerted targeted action by police against gangsters in several localities in which over a dozen suspects were picked up for interrogation.

Police said that around five to six gunmen stormed the family’s house in Musharraf Colony at about 1-2 am during midnight on Sunday and gunned down Muzaffar Beg, 50, his wife Shazia Begum, 45, their son Samad Beg, 8, and Imran 27, an adopted son, and injured 18-year-old Muniza, wife of Zahid Khan. The dead and wounded were shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK).

Ms Muniza was later shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for further treatment, said a health official.

According to CHK medico-legal officer, Dr Qarar Ahmed Abbasi, all the bodies had single gunshot wound to their heads while the girl had gunshot wound to her left thigh, he said. Her condition was stated to be out of danger.

The samples of Shazia’s body had been taken for chemical examination because her relatives suspected she might have been subjected to sexual assault. They also brought late Shazia’s 14-year-old daughter to the CHK for examination for sexual assault, he said.

Although doctors at the CHK said in their preliminary report that they found no signs on the woman’s body and that of the survivor girl which could be linked to sexual assault, he said.

A doctor at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital said the wounded Muniza had been admitted to surgical intensive care unit. Her clothes and samples had been sent to Islamabad for DNA test.

Mauripur SHO, Choudhry Tufail, claimed the murders might be result of ‘girl’s resistance to attempted rape.’

But SSP West Irfan Baloch told Dawn that the family was associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and were targeted by gangsters having links with Lyari.

Quoting the survivor girl’s statement to police, the SSP said her father was affiliated with the MQM and the family had shifted to somewhere else in the city about three-four months ago because of threats from the gangsters.

Irfan Baloch said the victim’s family had returned to their home in Musharraf Colony a few days ago. The girl identified one of the assailants as Rashid alias Chief belonging to the banned Peoples Amn Committee.

The police with the help of police commandos conducted operation in four-five localities where gangsters had influence such as Musharraf Colony, Customs Colony, 500 Quarters and other surrounding areas of Naval Colony and detained 15 suspects for interrogation, said Irfan Baloch.The police also raided the residence of Rashid alias Chief but he was not present there, added the SSP West.