HYDERABAD: 'Unknown persons' torched three vehicles, attacked the residences of two PTI leaders, attacked a Lahore-bound train, and injured its driver, besides opening indiscriminate firing in various localities of Hyderabad and its adjoining areas.

Unidentified gunmen opened fire and pelted stones on the Pakistan Express train within the jurisdiction of Tando Yousuf police station, leaving the train driver injured.

The injured was shifted to Civil Hospital Hyderabad for treatment.

All the CNG stations and petrol pumps remained closed across the city which bore a deserted look amid panic.

Tyres were also burnt to block flow of traffic.

Small and big market remained closed in Heerabad, Liaquatabad Colony, Quaidabad, Phuleli, Preetabad, Raisham Bazaar, Gari Khata Chowk, Sarfaraz Colony, Cloth Market, Anaj Mandi, Subzi Mandi, Faqir Ka Pirr, Shahi Bazaar, Khokhar Mohalla and Latifabad.

One van was burnt at “Do Qabar” at Pucca Qilla while a Suzuki pick up was set ablaze at Pakistan chowk.

A Honda City car No ADK 057 of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) candidate, Usman Kennedy was burnt outside his house.

Gunmen resorted to firing on the building, near Gul Khan petrol pump within the jurisdiction of Market police station, where the flat of Usman Kennedy is located.

“I was told by my nephew that my car is fired upon outside at around 6 am. I went downstairs and soon a mob of around 40 people struck there, fired on my building and then set my car on fire. Some of them also beat me up and the people of the locality had also gathered there to witness all this”, claimed Usman Kennedy.

Police reached the scene after two hours despite a two minutes travel distance between the police station and Kennedy's residence.

“Police are deployed outside my residence now and I am not allowed to come outside for the time being”, he said.

Kennedy had contested on PS-45 of the city in May 11 poll.

PTI district president’s house also came under attack in Kohsar area of Latifabad.

“My house was attacked by gunmen. They damaged my car by throwing a heavy stone on it. We remain confined to our house”, PTI Hyderabad district president, Mustansir Billa, told Dawn.com.

“I have not yet registered a case with police. My family is frightened. As a result of firing the windowpanes of my house are smashed”, he claimed.

Opinion

Editorial

Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...
By-election trends
Updated 23 Apr, 2024

By-election trends

Unless the culture of violence and rigging is rooted out, the credibility of the electoral process in Pakistan will continue to remain under a cloud.
Privatising PIA
23 Apr, 2024

Privatising PIA

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s reaffirmation that the process of disinvestment of the loss-making national...
Suffering in captivity
23 Apr, 2024

Suffering in captivity

YET another animal — a lioness — is critically ill at the Karachi Zoo. The feline, emaciated and barely able to...