KARACHI, Jan 7: An activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement died when unidentified men fired a volley of bullets at him in front of his house across the Khursheed Memorial Hall in Azizabad on Monday evening.

After the shooting, tension gripped the area and shops and markets were closed in Azizabad, Hussainabad, Dastagir, Water Pump, Naseerabad, Gulberg, Ancholi and other localities in Federal-B Area.

A senior police official said the unidentified armed men sprayed Badarul Islam, 30, with bullets and escaped. He was rushed to a hospital where he struggled for life for more than three hours and then succumbed to his injuries.

The police could not find any clue to the suspects immediately. However, they started investigation into the incident.

An MQM leader, Kunwar Khalid Yunus, told Dawn that two men riding on a motorbike reached the house of Badarul Islam, situated across the Khurshid Memorial Hall. As he came out of his house, the assailants pumped eight bullets into his body. Some other workers were sitting nearby, who remained unhurt, he added.

Kunwar Khalid said the party believed that the government was going to take action against some organizations. At this stage, he said, the killing of MQM worker was aimed at inciting provocation among its workers to retaliate and a reason to launch an operation against the MQM could be made.

“It is an attempt to sabotage the peaceful atmosphere of the city,” he added.

Following the incident, angry youths appeared in different localities and asked the shopkeepers to shut their business in protest against the attack.

Although shops and markets were closed, the vehicular traffic including public transport, remained plying on the roads.