KARACHI: An advocate of Sindh High Court was shot dead in Gulshan-e-Iqbal area of Karachi on Friday evening, according to police.

Giving details, the police said Syed Ameer Hyder Shah was travelling in his car when three suspects riding a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire at him near Hassan Square, and later managed to flee the crime scene.

Shah sustained critical bullet wounds and was transported to a nearby private hospital where doctors pronounced him dead, said Gulshan SP Abid Qaimkhani.

The SP hinted that the murder of Shah could be linked to his professional work as the victim tended to plead cases before anti-terrorism courts.

We also cannot ignore the aspect of sectarian killing as the victim was a member of Shia community, added the officer.

Meanwhile, Karachi police chief Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar had conceded last week that unlike targeted killings and acts of terrorism, the incidence of street crime in the metropolis had not come down.

He said that for a city of over 18 million people there were only 30,000 policemen who were already battling organised criminal gangs, armed wings of political parties and militants of banned outfits.

Man shot dead in North Nazimabad

In a separate incident, a man was shot dead in the North Nazimabad area of the city on Friday evening, according to the police.

Police confirmed that Aftab Ahmed was attacked by armed pillion riders near Qalandria Chowk while he was travelling in his personal vehicle.

He sustained multiple bullet wounds, and was rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

“The police has started an investigation, and we are looking at probable motives behind the murder,” said Feroze Shah, Karachi-West DIG.

The DIG added that the victim was travelling along with his son who remained unhurt in the incident.