KARACHI: While half a dozen people on Thursday were killed in different parts of the metropolis, the south zone of the city police organisational structure remained most affected with reports about four killings and subsequent closure of markets in the area, said officials.

The police added that two men were selling savoury items at a stall on Badshahi Road near Dhobi Ghat within the remit of the Garden police station when gunmen riding a motorbike pulled up there. They fired at Abdul Jabbar, 40, and Zahid Ismail, 38, and walked away leaving the motorbike at the crime scene, said ASP Garden Mufakir Adeel. One of the victims died on the spot and the other died during treatment at the Civil Hospital Karachi, he said.

The officer said their political affiliation had not been ascertained yet though another officer quoted residents as saying that the victims were sympathisers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

Both the men had suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the upper half of their bodies, said hospital sources.

Following the killings, the locality and its neighbouring areas reverberated with gunfire, causing immediate closure of shops and markets and compelling residents to stay indoors.

Former MQM-H man shot dead

Earlier in the morning, a former activist of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi, was gunned down in the Karachi Administration Society, near Mehmoodabad, said police.

They added that 30-year-old Tahir, son of Rehmat Ali, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting in Block-4 of the KAS early Thursday morning.

The victim was a former PIB Colony sector in charge of the MQM-H’s organisational structure, said the police. However, they added, the victim was not active in the party these days.

The body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for a post-mortem examination. The victim had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

An FIR of the murder had not been lodged at the Mehmoodabad police station till Thursday evening.

Man found shot dead

A young man was found shot dead in the trans-Lyari area of Garden, said police.

They added that Mohammad Saleem, 30, was found shot dead near Shoe Market within the remit of the Garden police station.

The body was shifted to the Civil Hospital Karachi where the victim was identified as a resident of Azeem Plaza, Garden, who originally hailed from Haripur, said the police.

The official said that the victim had sustained a gunshot wound to his head.

The police suspected personal enmity as a possible motive for the killing.

Body found

The decomposed body of a 60-year-old man was spotted at a deserted place near Sultanabad, said an official at the Manghopir police station.

The police shifted the body to the Civil Hospital Karachi, where the victim was identified as Abdul Shabbir with the help of some documents found from his clothes and later confirmed by his son.

The victim was a labourer and resident of the same area where his body was found, said the police.

They quoted hospital sources as saying that the elderly man had been shot dead, but said that they were not sure about the motive for the killing.

Following medico-legal formalities, the body was handed over to the victim’s heirs.

Girl killed

A young girl was killed in Sultanabad, Block-A within the remit of the Jackson police station.

The police said that Saima, 24, was found dead with her body tied to a bed and her throat slit inside the locked house of her fiancé, Mohammad Tauseef, 28.

The police said that a friend of hers told Tauseef’s sister over the phone that the two had an altercation after he called Saima to his house.

Subsequently, their families along with the police reached the house.

The police broke open the door and found her dead inside the house, while Tauseef went missing following the incident. The body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for medico-legal formalities.

The police said that both families were not aware about the motive for the killing or the cause of the dispute between the two. The officials quoted one of the families as saying that Tauseef used to live alone in the house.

Till Thursday evening no FIR of the murder was lodged at the police station.

Man arrested

Police claimed to have arrested a man said to be involved in several murder cases registered at different police stations in the city.

Farhan alias Muhib Abbas was arrested in North Nazimabad and a TT pistol and six bullets found in his possession were seized, said SP Gulberg Division Tanveer Odho.