KARACHI: A restaurant manager was shot at and injured critically allegedly by politically-connected persons in the Malir Cantonment area late on Monday night, officials said on Tuesday.

Two suspects, said to be brothers, were arrested in the case.

The police said that at around 11pm on Monday, a quarrel erupted at the Hot and Spicy restaurant located on M.M. Alam Road near Malir Cantonment’s Gate 6.

“Around three or four persons had a quarrel with a waiter and a gun was fired at restaurant manager Basheer Ahmed, injuring him seriously,” said DIG East Amir Farooqi.

The victim sustained a bullet wound in the face and was taken to the Liaquat National Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment.

His condition was stated to be critical.

“The police seized a pair of sandals, a golf cap, a black Corolla (ATT 779) from the crime scene in which 10 empty cans of beer were found (bought in the name of Syed Mir Mustafa Rashidi),” said the DIG East. “They also collected blood samples from the spot.”

The police have registered an FIR (17/19) under sections 324 (attempted murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code and further investigation was under way.

The senior officer said that the brothers — Syed Mir Mustafa Shah Rashdi and Syed Athar Shah Rashdi — and two other persons were suspects in the case. Both brothers have been arrested. “Now we are trying to get the CCTV footage of the inside of the eatery to see what had actually happened there,” said DIG Farooqi

“Both brothers were allegedly drunk and one of them fired at the manager.”

Answering a question regarding media reports that the suspects belonged to a noted political family of Sindh, the DIG said: “We cannot confirm this.”

However, sources told Dawn that the suspects belonged to the politically well-known “Rashidi family” of Sindh.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2019