KARACHI: A trader was killed and two others were wounded in a suspected sectarian attack in the Gulberg area on Monday evening.

While police said the incident could be related to sectarianism, the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen said five people belonging to the Shia sect were targeted in gun attacks on Monday.

Liaquatabad SP M. Ihsan Malik said the victims, Syed Aun Naqvi, Syed Mutahir Jafferi and Saleem Hussain, were sitting at a motorcycles shop in Moosa Colony when armed motorcyclists opened fire on them and fled.

The victims were critically wounded and were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital from where they were shifted to a private hospital after first provision of medical aid, the officer said.

The police said Aun Naqvi, 40, died during treatment, while Mutahir Jafferi and Saleem Hussain were admitted for treatment. The condition of Mr Jafferi was said to be critical.

The police investigators seized 16 spent bullet casings of 0.9mm pistol found at the crime scene. The SP said the exact motive behind the murder could be ascertained when statements of the victim’s family were recorded. He said the incident could be related to sectarianism.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2014