Two persons were killed and five, including one woman, injured in an incident of firing in the Baghdadi area in Karachi's Lyari on Tuesday evening, Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Adeel Hussain Chandio informed Dawn.

Local builder Rozie Khan Niazi's son, Raees Niazi, was at a hotel in Kalri when two armed men, Mubeen and Fazal Dad, opened fire on him after his refusal to pay them bhatta (protection money), SSP Chandio said.

Four passersby also suffered gunshot wounds. The injured have been shifted to Civil Hospital, police said.

As Raees succumbed to his wounds, an outraged mob overwhelmed and killed Fazal Dad and injured Mubeen, the police officer added.

SSP Chandio stated that the attackers were from the Raja Pathan gang. Fazal's brother, Mustufa, had been killed last year in a police encounter. Deputy Inspector General Azad Khan said Raees had played a role in Mustufa's killing.

Inspector General Sindh A.D. Khowaja and Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal have taken notice of the incident. Directives have been issued for the timely arrest of all involved in the incident.

Progress in Parween Rehman murder case

A police official also told Dawn that one more suspect, identified as Ayaz Swati, had been arrested in connection with the Parween Rehman murder case.

Another accused in the case, Rahim Swati, had identified Ayaz as an accomplice. Ayaz had secured pre-arrest bail from the Sindh High Court, by an Anti-terrorism Court had on Monday cancelled his bail. Police took the accused in custody on Tuesday for their investigation.

Ayaz is believed to have planned the attack on the slain director of the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP). He lived in the same area as the OPP office and once fought a local government poll as an independent candidate, the police official said.

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