KARACHI: Young Usama Ayub, a Hafiz-i-Quran and the only son of his parents who was gunned down by armed muggers over slight resistance on Monday night, was on his way to buy a second-hand motorbike as his two-wheeler was stolen from outside his Nazimabad home four days ago, when he met his tragic fate, his friend said.

“Usama was a very humble soul. He was so supportive that we called him every time we had a problem. He was really helpful and always stood by his friends,” says his childhood friend Usman Khalid. “Despite his tough schedule due to his job, he still spent time with us. There is a lot going on inside me, I can’t even explain,” he said.

About his tragic death, he said that Usama along with his two other friends was on way to North Karachi on a motorbike to buy a second-hand two-wheeler from a seller with whom he had met online.

He said the friends stopped near an imambargah and Usama got off the two-wheeler to talk to the seller, asking for directions on the cell phone as his friends waited for him just yards away when two armed motorcyclists appeared there, held him at gunpoint and demanded his phone. “Usama refused to hand his phone upon which they shot him and rode away.”

Muggers take life of young Hafiz-i-Quran in North Karachi

He said that his two friends thought the bullet missed him but when he fell they called an ambulance that arrived there within two minutes. He was on way to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital when he breathed his last near Hyderi, he said in a choked voice.

“Our friends who were accompanying him...they are traumatised and they cannot talk about it. It’s so overwhelming for us since we all are childhood friends and he was dearest to everyone. He was a very gentle guy,” he said. “I pray Karachi gets better in future and no friend should go through what we are facing right now. We are traumatised and afraid.”

Shahrah-i-Noor Jehan SHO Aslam Khan said that the muggers escaped without any loot. Usama suffered a single bullet wound and was taken to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival, he said.

Usman said that he was employed in a garment factory. His funeral prayers were held at a local mosque and was laid to rest in Paposh graveyard amid moving scenes, he said.

“No official or politician came to express their condolence with the victim’s family,” he told Dawn.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2022