KARACHI: A serving officer of the Pakistan Army, who was shot at and wounded by robbers in the city on March 31, died during treatment at a hospital, police and relatives said on Tuesday.

DIG-South Syed Asad Raza said that Major Saad Sheikh was posted at Pakistan Coast Guard in Hub. He said on March 31 he had left his office for Iftar on a motorcycle. The motorbike developed some fault and he took it to a mechanic near Gulbai where armed robbers on a motorbike arrived.

He said that the major was in plain clothes and carrying his weapon. When the robbers saw his weapon they opened indiscriminate fire and fled without any loot.

The wounded major was initially taken to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi from where he was taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Malir. He remained admitted there and died during treatment on Monday.

The DIG said that the army officer suffered four bullet wounds.

Major Sheikh is survived by a widow and two children including a son.

On Tuesday, he was laid to rest with full military honours.

Regarding investigations of the case, the DIG said that the robbers had abandoned their motorbike while fleeing and the police seized it.

He claimed that investigators traced and identified those who killed the army officer.

Later in the evening, SSP-Keamari Faizan Ali claimed to have arrested one of the suspects, identified as Usman, involved in the killing of the major after an encounter.

He said that the police also recovered a pistol used in the murder.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2024