KARACHI: A teenage girl was found shot dead in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Friday while both doctors and police expressed doubts about the family’s claim of suicide, said officials.

Aziz Bhatti police SHO Adeel Afzal said that the family claimed that Samina Khan aged around 12-13 years committed suicide by shooting herself at home located on main University Road in Block-6.

The officer added that the family took her initially to the Liaquat National Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Later on, her body was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre to fulfil medico-legal formalities when they were informed about the death of the girl.

The officer said that the post-mortem examination of the body was carried out by a lady medico-legal officer and they were waiting for doctors to share their findings with investigators.

Both the Edhi Foundation spokesperson and the head of the JPMC, Dr Seemin Jamali, said that they were informed that the girl was standing on the roof of her home when a bullet fired from unknown direction hit her. Thus, it was stated to be an aerial firing case.

The additional police surgeon of the JPMC, Dr Summaiya Syed, said that “the dead body of 15-year-old girl was brought to the JPMC with alleged history of gunshot injury as a result of aerial firing.

“She was examined and was found to have a close contact wound of entry on anterior chest and exit wound on back,” added Dr Syed.

Meanwhile, a source in the JPMC said that “the firearm entry wound findings were inconsistent with suicide or distant shot”.

The SHO said the family claimed that she committed suicide but they did not give any reason for it.

The police have doubts about the family’s version partly because of the age factor besides not citing any motive for it.

Moreover, there was a bullet wound on her chest fired from a 9mm pistol, which was unusual in suicide cases.

The family originally belonged to Quetta.

Three girls among four drown

Three young women of a family and one male drowned in the Hub River on Friday in separate incidents, rescue services officials said.

An Edhi Foundation spokesperson said that the family had gone on a picnic when two girls and one young married woman were drowned during swimming in the river.

Edhi divers retrieved their bodies after hectic efforts lasting for several hours. The deceased were identified as Mariam Bakhtiar, 10; Hajira Niaz, 18; and Mrs Naeema Aziz, 30.

The deceased were residents of Afridi Colony in Baldia Town.

They had gone for a picnic party along with their family when the tragedy occurred.

In a separate incident a 30-year-old man drowned and died in Hub River on Friday.

The Edhi Foundation spokesperson said that Ali Hashim drowned while swimming in the river. He went there for a picnic.

The deceased was a resident of Taiser Town in Surjani Town.

DIG South denies ‘criminal gangs in DHA’

South Zone DIG Javed Akbar Riaz on Friday said reports being shared on social media about criminal gangs operating in all phases of DHA particularly Phase-I were “unverified”.

In a statement, the South Zone police chief said that a message: “high alert warning! Extreme high level robberies in all phases of DHA, particularly DHA Phase-I residential area and market” was being circulated on social media regarding various alleged criminal gangs operating in DHA Karachi.

“I have personally contacted a number of residents who are forwarding such message,” said the officer.

“They all denied having firsthand information of any such alleged incident.”

Besides, the senior officer added that “I have also checked from the police stations but no such incidents have been reported except a few incidents of theft of batteries/vehicle parts”.

The DIG South urged residents “not to forward unverified messages because such messages create panic, anxiety and sense of insecurity”.

He suggested residents dial ‘15’ or call their local police station if they have definite information about any crime.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2021