KARACHI: A police officer who survived an assassination attempt in the past was shot dead in a suspected targeted attack in Orangi Town on Monday, police said.

They added that assistant sub-inspector Rizwan Karim was attacked by gunmen riding a motorcycle near Subhani Masjid in Sector 13 of the neighbourhood.

Orangi SHO Tasawwur Jutt said that the police officer had gone to meet a friend of his and was standing near a shop when the gunmen arrived there. One of them got off the motorbike and opened fire on the ASI and rode away with his accomplice.

He sustained two critical bullet wounds on the face and was taken to the nearby Sindh Government Qatar Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

The victim was posted at Iqbal Market in Orangi and was in uniform at the time of the shooting.

The victim was wounded in an assassination attempt in 2012

West SSP Shoukat Ali Khatian told Dawn that Rizwan had survived an attempt on his life in 2012 in the limits of the Pirabad police in Orangi. He was wounded in that attack, but another policeman, Mohsin, was martyred. The officer recalled that the past attack on ASI Rizwan was a targeted killing incident.

The investigators have collected from the crime scene two spent bullet casings fired from a 9mm pistol.

SSP Khatian said the police had obtained CCTV footage from the crime scene, which might help them identify the culprits. He said that the incident was being investigated from every aspect, including personal enmity.

However, the city police chief, additional IG Karachi Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh, told Dawn that “it appeared that the police officer fell victim to targeted killing”.

Mr Shaikh added that he had directed the investigators to see the case file and ascertain why a second attempt was made on his life.

The city police chief said the martyred officer had not taken part in the past Karachi operations. Besides, the killing did not appear to be motivated by sectarian considerations.

The Sindh chief minister and the inspector general of police took notice of the incident and sought detailed inquiry reports from the officers concerned.

Dr Amir Shaikh said the martyred officer had also not remained associated with police’s Counter-Terrorism Department or any other high-profile case. Curiously, on Monday morning ASI Rizwan visited the Iqbal Market police station and for the first time got a pistol issued in his name, said the city police chief.

It indicated the possibility that he might have received “threats”. Therefore, the investigators were trying to get his mobile phone’s forensic analysis. The deceased’s brother is a serving police inspector in the city.

The police with the help of the CCTV footage of the crime scene have prepared a sketch of the suspected killer who appeared to be fat.

Answering a question about the killing of constable Jehangir Khan in Hijrat Colony on Saturday night, the city police chief said it was not a targeted killing incident. The suspected killers had been identified. They were involved in petty crimes in the area. He said he hoped that they would be arrested very soon.

Meanwhile, the funeral prayer of the martyred police officer, Rizwan, was held at the police headquarters in Garden. It was attended by Sindh IG Dr Syed Kaleem Imam, Rangers DG Maj Gen Mohammed Saeed and other senior officials of the law enforcement agencies.

Young man shot dead in Garden

A young man was shot dead in the Garden East area early on Monday morning allegedly by neighbours over some personal enmity, police said.

They added that Shahzeb, 25, was gunned down near the fish market.

Soldier Bazaar SHO Amin Solangi said the police had registered a murder case against Ali Akbar and his brother.

The officer said the suspect was allegedly under the influence of some drug. He was coming out from the apartment when a scuffle broke out between him and the victim. After an exchange of hot words, the suspect called his brother and they gunned down Shahzeb and fled in a car. The police said they were trying to arrest the suspects.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2019