KARACHI: Three bullet-riddled bodies were found in an isolated area near the Malir river, close to Quaidabad, on Saturday a few hours after the police had spotted the bodies of two friends — associated with different political parties — lying in an abandoned Suzuki pickup in Surjani Town, officials said.

An official at the Khuldabad post of Shah Latif police station said the bodies of two young men were found at an isolated place near a farmhouse, close to the Malir river.

“Both men in their middle or late 20s were hit by multiple bullets fired from a very close range,” said sub-inspector Muhammad Raza, the official in charge of the Khuldabad post of the Shah Latif police station. “They were wearing shalwar kameez. Nothing was found in their possession which could have led to their identification. The bodies have been moved to the Edhi morgue after medico-legal formalities at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for want of identification.”

Within half an hour, an official at the Shah Latif police station said another body was found in Zafar Town, hardly a kilometre from the farmhouse.

“The young victim was hit by three bullets each in the head, chest and abdomen with multiple torture marks on his body. After initial investigations we have reason to believe that the two incidents seem to be work of the same individual or group,” he added.

Earlier, two young friends were found shot dead in the pickup in Surjani Town’s Yaroo Goth. The SHO of the Surjani Town police station Inspector Muhammad Shabbir said the victims — Danish Aslam and Abdul Waheed — were residents of Sector 5-E, New Karachi.

“They had been missing since Friday evening, when Danish with Waheed went out to settle some monetary dispute with a friend in the New Karachi industrial area in his Suzuki pickup,” he said. “We believe they were kidnapped in the industrial area and later shot dead after torture. Danish was a known Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker and Waheed was associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party. We don’t think they were targeted on political grounds, as they had several other personal issues which could have led to their killing.”

Intelligence operative

An intelligence official who was critically wounded in an armed attack in Orangi Town on Friday night succumbed to his wounds in the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital on Saturday.

An official at the Pakistan Bazaar police station said 45-year-old Muhammad Hanif, aka Amjad, was targeted near his home in Sector 14-E.

“He was hit by two bullets and the bullet that hit him in the chest proved fatal. He was an employee of a civilian intelligence agency. People behind and motive for the attack are not known yet,” he said.

Minibus conductor

A minibus conductor was also shot dead in Orangi Town while resisting mugging.

Iqbal Market SHO Ghulam Rasool Rajpar said 30-year-old Muhammad Sabir was intercepted near the Z-2 route bus stand when he reached there for regular work.

“Two armed bandits on a motorbike pulled out pistols and snatched his cellphone and cash. In the process, Sabir tried to overpower one, prompting firing from his accomplice. The victim died on the spot,” he added.