Samaa TV DSNG van attacked in Karachi, one dead
An employee of a media group was killed on Sunday evening when unknown assailants opened fire on a Samaa TV DSNG van in the metropolis' North Nazimabad area.
The incident occured at KDA Chowrangi, near Dolmen Mall North Nazimabad.
The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attacks on the DSNG and on a police vehicle before that, in a statement sent to journalists.
An assistant cameraman, Taimur, received a bullet wound to the head and was rushed to the nearby Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Additional Police Surgeon Dr Rohina Hasan confirmed the victim arrived with a bullet wound to the head and died while under treatment.
"Postmortem has not been conducted yet," added Hasan.
'Same suspects might be involved'
The media van was in the area to cover an earlier incident, a cracker attack on a police vehicle, when it was attacked.
“Our team members along with the DSNG had gone there to cover the cracker attack on the police vehicle when they came under attack,” said Samaa TV's director news, Farhan Malik.
SSP Central Muqaddas Haider said the same suspects might be involved in both the incidents and added the cracker attack on the police vehicle did not cause any damage.
“It appears that the suspects attacked the police mobile with a cracker to attract media's attention and when the Samaa team arrived, they chased and attacked it,” added Haider.
IG Police Sindh, A D Khowaja while taking “strong notice” of the armed attack on the DSNG van sought an “explanation” and a detailed inquiry from DIG West immediately.
Security forces have reached the area and have started their initial investigations.
Earlier in September 2015, another Samaa TV DSNG van was attacked in Karachi's Liaquatabad No.10 area.
Previous attacks targeting media workers peaked during 2015. Three unidentified gunmen attacked a Geo TV DSNG, killing a Geo News employee and injuring another.
The incident was followed by an attack targeting senior journalist Aftab Alam. Alam, who had previously worked for Geo News, was gunned down by unknown assailants near his home in North Karachi.
In 2014, three Express News employees were shot dead in North Nazimabad in an attack claimed by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
