RAWALPINDI: Police have sought help from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) to resolve the mystery surrounding the killing of two sanitation workers on Saturday.

The police said Saqib Hussain, Asif Masih and Arshad reached Nishtar Street in Sadiqabad at 5am in a truck to collect garbage and clean the street.

While Saqib and Asif were busy in their work in the street, two motorcycle riders wearing masks pulled up and shot them dead. The assailants then sped towards the service road where the truck was parked with Arshad in the driving seat. The gunmen shot the driver before speeding off.

The injured was taken to Benazir Bhutto Hospital with critical chest wounds where he has not regained consciousness.

A police investigating officer told Dawn that it was yet to be ascertained whether the case was an act of terrorism or a targeted killing. He said the police could not get help from the CCTV footage in the area as the assailants were hiding their faces with masks.

“It could be either a targeted killing or an enmity. However, the deceased were not facing any threat or having any enmity with anyone.” He said the police were questioning some people in connection with the double murder.

The officer said as soon as the injured worker regains consciousness the police would record his statement.

Two sanitary workers were killed and three others injured in two similar attacks in the same police area in June this year.

However, the police have not traced any of the attackers so far.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2017