KARACHI, June 14: A trader was shot dead and two others were wounded in a targeted attack at a spare parts shop in Japan Plaza, Tibet Centre on Thursday, police said.

While soon after the attack, a large number of traders staged a protest demonstration on M.A. Jinnah Road against the law-enforcement agencies over the killing, a senior police officer said that the victims had not received any money extortion threat or at least had not informed them about any such threat.

It was a second gun attack at a traders’ shop this week as earlier a scrap dealer was killed and his brother wounded in Shershah on Monday.

Both were brothers of a former MQM MPA.

The deceased, identified as Sohail Hamza, 35, was a Baloch and a resident of Kalakot, the police said.

They quoted eyewitnesses as saying that two men, later identified as Aslam Ali and Asad Ali, both in their 40s, were sitting with Sohail Hamza at the shop when gunmen riding two motorbikes pulled up there. They opened fire on the three people and fled.

All the three victims were rushed to the Civil Hospital Karachi, where Sohail died during treatment, the officials said.

Following the medico-legal formalities, the body was handed over to the victim’s family, they said, adding that doctors described the condition of both the wounded men as stable.

“It seems that they wanted to target Sohail only,” said DSP Malik Mohammad Ehsan.

In the evening, a large number of traders staged a protest demonstration on M.A. Jinnah Road over the killing. They blocked the rush-hour traffic by placing hurdles on the busy thoroughfare and shouted slogans against the law-enforcement agencies.

Finally, on the intervention of some senior police officers, the traders ended their protest and the crowd dispersed peacefully.

“The trader didn’t receive any extortion related threats or at least he didn’t inform the police about any such threat,” the DSP said.

He added that initial investigation report indicated that the murder could be a result of some monetary dispute.

The victim was a resident of Bakra Piri, Kalakot, and originally hailed from Balochistan, the police said, adding that he was the father of two children.

It is worth noting here that two traders of the same auto parts market had been kidnapped some weeks back from Old Golimar.