KARACHI, June 1: A young man was shot dead in Paposh Nagar on Saturday in what police described as a sectarian attack.

The area police said that 30-year-old Hasan Raza was going to his workplace on a motorbike when he was targeted by armed men riding a motorbike near Makki Masjid.

“As he reached near Khilafat Chowk, two men on a motorbike intercepted and fired shots at him before speeding away,” said an official at the Paoposh Nagar police station. “He was hit by two bullets in the chest and died on the spot. The attackers used 9mm pistol — a widely used weapon in such kind of killings.”

The body was handed over to the family after medico-legal formalities at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Resident of Paposh Nagar in Nazimabad, the victim married to a girl only three months ago, the police investigators said.

“The victim was an active member of the Anjuman-i-Karwan-i-Hussain,” said a spokesman of the Majlis-i-Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM). “The government has failed to cap the violence against particular community and no credible action is seen on ground against the banned outfits, which are involved in these killings and openly claim the acts of terrorism. The MWM demands a military operation in the city.”

Meanwhile, special investigation unit (SIU) of the Sindh claimed to have arrested four suspected killers and extortionists in a raid in Pak Colony area.

“SSP SIU Farooq Awan along with a team conducted a raid in Pak Colony and arrested four alleged members of a criminal gang, who were identified as Yasin, Bhutto alias Bangali, Ghulam Sarwar and Ghani,” said a statement. “The gang is involved in targeted killings, kidnapping for ransom and extortion. Two assault AK-47 rifles, two hand grenades, four TT pistols and two repeaters have also been recovered.”

Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, also conducted ‘targeted operation’ in different parts of the city and claimed to have arrested six suspects, an alleged member of one of the criminal gangs operating in Lyari and recovered arms from their custody.

“The Rangers conducted targeted raid against anti-state elements in Jamali Goth, Old Truck Stand Lyari, Dawood Goth and Nazimabad No 4 that led to arrest of six suspects, including a member of criminal gang,” said a spokesman of the Rangers.