KARACHI, Oct 3: The city peace remained on the edge as five more people, including three activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, were killed in different areas on Wednesday.

The bodies of the three MQM activists stuffed in gunny bags were spotted near Old Haji Camp and Lasbella pipe factory in the early hours of the day, police said, adding that the brutal trend of roadside dumping of body bags seemed to have returned.

Napier SHO Inspector Aslam Gujjar quoted their families as saying that before leaving for fishing with some friends a couple of days ago, Farhan Shah, 22, and his 27-year-old friend, Mohammad Abid Awan, had gone to Khadda Market, Moosa Lane, where they were probably kidnapped.

The police said their bodies were found stuffed in gunny bags near Old Haji Camp in the early hours of Wednesday. The victims clad in trousers and shirts were shifted to the Civil Hospital Karachi, they added.

Farhan was a resident of Jamila Street near Ghas Mandi and Abid lived in the Jehananad area of Pak Colony, the SHO said, adding that the two were close friends and also associated with the MQM.

Tension gripped the neighbourhoods when the bodies of the two victims reached their respective residences.

The officials said that Abid Awan was an employee of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and unmarried.

An MQM spokesman said that the victim was a member of the party’s Pakhtun organising committee.

Sindh Minister Abdul Haseeb along with a number of party activists attended his funeral later during the day.

Almost at the same time, a young man associated with the MQM was found shot dead near Lasbella Pipe Factory within the remit of the Jamshed Quarters police station, police and party sources said.

They suspected that the victim, Sheikh Arif was kidnapped and trussed up before being killed.

The victim’s brother was quoted by the police as saying that Arif had been missing since Monday and a report about his disappearance had also been lodged at the Super Market police station. “He was hit by three bullets in the head, chest and shoulder,” said DSP Qaiser Ali Shah.

“He was a driver and father of two,” he added.

An official at the Super Market police station said that he was associated with the MQM. He was a resident of Ilyas Goth near C-1 Area of Liaquatabad.

Shops and business in the area remained closed after the killing.

Tailor shot dead

A tailor was gunned down inside his shop in Ranchhore Lines, police said.

They added that two men riding a motorbike pulled up near the tailor’s shop, one of them entered the shop and fired multiple shots at Asif Karim before fleeing with his accomplice.

“The body was shifted to the Civil Hospital Karachi but the victim’s family took away the body without completing the medico-legal formalities,” said Garden SHO Inspector Fateh Muhammad Sheikh.

“The victim was unmarried and a resident of Ramswami area.”

Clash claims youngster’s life

In the Al Falah area of Malir, an altercation between two groups of youngsters over a petty issue turned ugly on Wednesday when one of them pulled out a pistol and killed a 25-year-old man from the rival group.

The two groups were having fun at a swimming pool near Masjid-i-Sughra in Gulistan-i-Rafi area when they became involved in a heated argument.

“Shahzad Shah sustained a gunshot wound and died while being shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre,” said Al-Falah SHO Inspector Sarfaraz Gondal.

“The victim was a resident of Siddiq Goth, Malir.”

The police said that the attacker along with other members of his group ran away following the incident, while the owner of swimming pool also went missing. “We believe that the swimming pool owner went into hiding in fear or panic,” the SHO said.

He expressed hope that the suspects would be tracked down very soon.