KARACHI: In a surge in targeted killings, a leader of a banned party and his driver were gunned down in Shershah while a shopkeeper was later killed and four others were wounded in armed attacks on two shops belonging to the Bohra community in Bahadurabad on Wednesday.

The shop attackers also left a threatening note that warned law enforcement agencies to desist from action against militants, according to officials.

In Shershah, Dr Mohammad Fayyaz Khan, 40, who was general secretary of the Karachi chapter of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), and his driver, Arif Junaid, 35, were travelling in a car when armed motorcyclists targeted them at Paracha Chowk, according to Site-B police.

They suffered critical wounds and were taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi where doctors declared them dead on arrival.

Both victims had bullet wounds to their head and chest, according to a doctor.

“It appeared to be an incident of targeted killing linked with sectarianism,” said Karachi-West SSP Azfar Mahesar.

Dr Fayyaz used to travel with around 10 private security guards, but on Wednesday he happened to be in a Vitz car with his driver only, said the SSP.

When his car stopped at Paracha Chowk, two assailants on a motorcycle pulled up near the car, an attacker got off the two-wheeler and opened fire on them, he said.

Police found four spent casings fired from a 0.9mm pistol at the crime scene.

“The government had withdrawn two policemen from the security of Dr Fayyaz and did not even allow him to have private guards,” said ASWJ spokesperson Umar Muavia.

Shopkeeper killed

A shopkeeper was shot dead and four others were hurt in attacks on two shops belonging to the Bohra community in Bahadurabad on Wednesday, according to police.

Gulshan SP Abid Qaimkhani said that suspects riding a motorcycle attacked and injured two men sitting at a shop on Amir Khusro Road in Dhoraji Colony. They attacked another shop at some distance, injuring three more persons. All the injured and were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where doctors declared Khan Mohammad, 45, dead on arrival.

Dr Seemin Jamali, head of the emergency department at the JPMC, said that Shabbir Hussain, 42, Shabbir Sultan, 40, Hatim Qurban, 40, and Mustansar Abbas, 22, had been admitted but the condition of one of the wounded was critical.

The deceased was an employee at one of the shops and did not belong to the Bohra community but the four others were.

“It appeared to be an incident of targeted killing,” said the SP.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play