KARACHI: Three people, among them a prayer leader and a muezzin, were killed in separate attacks in the city on Saturday which, according to the police, were apparently carried out on sectarian grounds.

In Block 13 D-2 of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, four men on two motorcycles opened fire at a camp set up outside Masjid-i-Madinatul Uloom to collect Fitra and charity. Four people sitting at the camp were critically injured. Three were identified as Maulana Ehtashamur Rahman, the prayer leader of the mosque, Qari Abdul Hafeez, the muezzin, and Mohammad Haroon.

Maulana Ehtasham and Qari Hafeez died while being taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, said SP Abid Qaimkhani. “We have found multiple cases of bullets from the crime scene which suggested that the attackers used 9mm pistols,” said the officer. “It is definitely an act of terrorism.”

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In Nazimabad, a roadside pan vendor was shot dead inside his stall. Police said 45-years-old Mohammad Haider was targeted while breaking his fast.

“His shop is situated near Hadi Market in Nazimabad No 4,” said Inspector Ejaz Lodhi, the SHO of Nazimabad police station. He said Haider suffered two bullet wounds and died on the spot. Though police expressed ignorance about Haider’s link to any party, a spokesperson for the outlawed Ahle-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat claimed that Haider was ASWJ’s worker and that he was killed for his association with the party.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2014