KARACHI: Three men, including a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, were shot dead in the old city area on Tuesday, police said.

The incidents occurred in Garden and Agra Taj Colony where rival groups fired into the air following the killings, causing injuries to others.

Shaukat Ali, 25, a motor mechanic by profession, was sitting at his shop in Azeem Plaza, Garden when gunmen opened fire on him and fled.

A man, Sajjad, who was there to get his vehicle repaired, also sustained bullet wounds. They were taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi where Shaukat was pronounced dead.

The killing sparked tension in the locality as shops and other commercial activities were closed.

In another incident in Garden, a vendor, Shahjehan Baloch aka Badshah, 65, was shot dead.

Police said that he was sitting on a chair near his pushcart to sell sweets when gunmen killed him and fled.

Stray bullets hit a woman, Rubina, 30, in Usmanabad causing injuries to her.

Garden DSP Zahid Hussain believed that the murders might be the result of some personal enmity.

He said that any untoward incident in the locality causes fear and panic and the people avoiding visiting each others areas.

Gunmen targeted 38-year-old Mohammad Waseem aka Mota in Agra Taj Colony and fled.

He was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where he died during treatment.

“Waseem was a worker of the MQM,” said Kalri SHO Haji Sanaullah.

Following the murder, two groups resorted to firing into the air, forcing shopkeepers to shut their shops and other commercial activities.

Zohaib and Sameer, wounded due to firing in the Kalri area, were taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi where they were admitted for treatment.

Meanwhile, MQM leader Kanwar Naveed held Lyari gangsters responsible for the targeted killing of Muhammad Waseem.

He told a press conference on Tuesday evening that seven MQM workers had been killed in the old city area and 17 workers had been targeted in the current month.

He called upon the authorities to take notice of the frequent killings and order the arrest of the killers.