Fifty-seven people, including women and children, suffered bullet injuries in aerial firing carried out on eve of Independence Day in different parts of Karachi, officials said on Sunday

“We received 57 persons with bullet injuries brought at three major government hospitals in the metropolis on late Saturday night,” said police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, adding that several of the injured were in critical condition.

Breaking down the count, she said that 15 injured people, including three females aged between 15 to 50 years, were brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, adding that some of them were critical and would require long-term treatment.

Meanwhile, Dr Syed said 24 cases of aerial firing were reported at the medico-legal section of Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre. Three of the injured were females.

She said the injured were aged between eight to 60 years, including three females. Dr Syed added that five of them suffered bullet wounds on their heads while three others received injuries on their abdomen.

Similarly, she said 18 people injured from aerial firing were reported at the medico-legal section of Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. The injured were aged between 10 to 50 years with six of them being females.

Meanwhile, an Edhi Foundation spokesperson said in a statement that their ambulances had shifted 34 injured from different areas of the city to hospitals.

Out of them, four people had suffered bullet wounds in Orangi Town, two in Liaquatabad, three in Lyari, four in Shah Faisal Colony, and one each in DHA Phase 2, Dhoraji Colony, Urdu Bazaar, Karimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and other areas.

A spokesperson of the Chhipa Welfare Association also said that their ambulances had shifted 23 injured from various localities to hospitals.

Meanwhile, Bahadurabad Station House Officer Qurban Ali said that a suspect, Mohammed Ali, was arrested for carrying out aerial firing from a licensed pistol.

South Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) (Investigation) Dr Mohammed Imran Khan said one suspect, Mohammed Afnan, was arrested while resorting to aerial firing at Eidga. A 9mm pistol along with eight rounds was recovered from him.

The SSP said the police have registered a case against the suspect under section 337-H (punishment for hurt by rush or negligent act) of the Pakistan Penal Code and other relevant laws.