KARACHI: Seven suspects have been picked up for their alleged involvement in a gun attack outside the venue of a Mushaira in Clifton, police said on Monday.

The Mushaira was organised by the Defence-Clifton Residents Committee of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement near Do Talwar, Clifton.

According to police and MQM leaders, armed men opened indiscriminate fire, forcing members of the audience and Mushaira participants to take cover.

Policemen posted outside the venue returned fire that left one of the attackers wounded, they said. However, his accomplices managed to escape along with him.

The police said that the wounded suspect was taken by his accomplices to a private hospital in Clifton where he died. He was identified as Kamran Khan, a resident of Shah Rasool Colony, the police said.

Ruling out any ambiguity about the role of the slain suspect, Saddar Division SP Tariq Dharejo said that Kamran was among the attackers.

“Kamran Khan was one of the attackers who got killed in retaliatory police fire outside the venue of the Mushaira,” said the SP.

The police said that the seven suspects were picked up from Shah Rasool Colony, Neelum Colony and Shireen Jinnah Colony, Clifton.

A case (FIR 152/2012) was registered at the Boat Basin police station against Kamran and some unidentified persons on a complaint of Assistant Sub-Inspector Abdul Ghaffar under Sections 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 324 (attempted murder), 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to the FIR, about a dozen men had come in three cars and opened indiscriminate fire. The attackers wanted to attack the venue [of the Mushaira] but they were unable to do so due to the presence of the police, it added.