A passerby was shot dead during an 'encounter' between law enforcement personnel and suspected criminals in Karachi's Nazimabad-1 area on Friday evening, according to police.

A police party conducted an action in Kabuli Bazaar near Saifullah Hotel where an exchange of fire took place between the security personnel and alleged drug peddlers.

Central SSP Murtaza Tabassum told media that a potato chips seller, identified as Usman Khalid, 40, was killed during the cross-fire. He said an inquiry had been launched to ascertain as to whose firing caused the man's death.

The body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities.

Last year in October, six policemen in Karachi had killed an innocent citizen and injured two others in the Korangi Industrial Area after mistaking them for robbers.

Police had initially claimed that the casualties were the result of an 'encounter' that took place during a robbery in Mehran Town.

However, it later transpired that the deceased and injured were victims of the robbery, which prompted higher authorities to order an inquiry into the incident to ascertain the veracity of their relatives' claims.

The cops who were found guilty were later arrested.