KARACHI: Police have launched an investigation to identify killers of 43-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf worker Mohammed Asif, gunned down in Azizabad on Saturday evening, whose family said that the victim had been receiving threats for the last few days.

The PTI activist was shot dead by armed motorcyclists outside main gate-4 of Madani Masjid in Block-7 of FB Area at around 5.30pm on Saturday.

The Azizabad police said that an FIR (274/2019) was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 on the complaint of the deceased’s elder brother Mohammed Manaf.

In his statement before investigators, Mr Manaf said: “some days ago, Asif had informed him that some people were giving him life-threats,” according to contents of the FIR obtained by Dawn.

The complainant stated that record of such threats might be available in his brother’s cell phone, which had been seized by investigators for investigation purpose.

The police said that they were treating it as an act of terror as the PTI worker was gunned down outside a mosque at an open place to trigger fear and panic among the general public.

PTI leaders’ reaction

The funeral prayers of the victim were held in his area, which was attended by a large number of people, including PTI leaders.

Governor Sindh Imran Ismail also came to meet the victim’s family.

Speaking to journalists, the governor said that this was big incident and the prime minister had expressed his regrets and dismay over it.

Assuring the family of the government’s full cooperation, Mr Ismail said the killers would be arrested and brought to justice.

He hinted that ‘foreign elements’ might be involved in the murder.

The deceased’s mobile phone was in custody of investigators and its forensic was being carried out, said the governor.

“Karachi has suffered a lot as so many people had been killed but now no one will be allowed to spoil the peaceful atmosphere of the city,” vowed Mr Ismail.

After attending the funeral prayers, PTI lawmakers and leaders, including Haleem Adil Shaikh, Khurram Sherzaman, Umar Ammari, Aslam Khan and others — demanded immediate arrest of the killers.

Haleem Adil Shaikh, PTI Sindh president, said that some ‘wrong information’ had been spread about the victim.

“One more life is lost due to the issue of garbage,” said Mr Shaikh without elaborating further.

MNA Aslam Khan alleged that whoever had raised his voice in UCs 33 and 34 had been killed.

MPA Khurram Sherzaman said Asif was ‘martyred’ for raising voice in favour of this area.

He gave a seven-day ultimatum to the Sindh government and police to arrest the killers.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2019