KARACHI, Dec 20: A banker was shot dead in a ‘sectarian’ attack in Lines Area within the remit of the Brigade police station on Thursday morning, officials said.

Only a few days earlier, an over-30-hour sit-in organised by several Shia organisations at the Numaish intersection to protest against sectarian killings ended on the governor assurance that credible steps would be taken to stop sectarian killings in the city.

Ashiq Abbas, 50, was heading to his bank branch in an auto-rickshaw when he was targeted near Thanvi Masjid, said an official at the Brigade police station.

While the attackers just sped away after firing at the victim, the latter was rushed to the Civil Hospital Karachi where he died during treatment.

The police quoted hospital sources as saying that the victim had been hit by two bullets.

Following the medico-legal formalities, the body was taken to the Mehfil Shah-i-Khurasan for funeral and later to the Wadi-i-Hussain graveyard for burial.

The officials said the victim, father of two, was a resident of Lines Area Sector 1-A.

Following the killing, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen workers staged a protest on the arterial M.A. Jinnah Road raising slogans against the unabated sectarian killings taking place in the city.

Earlier, MWM deputy secretary general Allama Aftab Haider Jafri and his associate Shahid Ali Mirza, both bankers, had been killed in a sectarian attack within the remit of the Brigade police station on Nov 6.

Young man shot dead in Rizvia

A young man was shot dead in Rizvia Society on Thursday night, police said.

They added that the victim, who appeared to be in his 30s, was on foot when armed men riding a motorcycle shot at him in front of Imam Zainul Abideen Hospital, situated in Society, within the remit of the Rizvia police station.

The officials said the victim, identified as Rehan Rasheed, was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in a police van. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, the police said.

The victim had sustained two gunshot wounds in the head and chest, hospital sources said.

PPP activist attacked

An activist of the Pakistan People’s Party was seriously wounded in a gun attack in Orangi Town on Thursday, police said.

They added that Ajaz Younus, 50, was shot at and wounded within the remit of the Pakistan Bazaar police station.

The victim was rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where he was admitted for treatment in a serious condition, the officials said.

Policeman wounded

A policeman sustained three gunshot wounds while trying to overpower bandits near the Frere police lines area, officials said.

They added police constable Noorul Amin, 30, was hit by bullets when he tried to overpower one of the bandits who were depriving women travelling in an auto-rickshaw of their cash and valuables.

The bandits fired multiple shots at him and fled.

The police constable, who sustained gunshot wounds to his abdomen and hands, was rushed to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where he was admitted for treatment.

Five hurt in cracker attack

Five people, mainly employees of a roadside restaurant, were wounded in what police described as a cracker attack on Mauripur Road on Thursday.

The police said that attackers riding a motorcycle hurled a cracker at Dua Hotel, situated on the main Mauripur Road, and sped away.

Five people suffered injuries. They were taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi for medical treatment. All were said to be stable, according to hospital sources. While police suspected that the attack could be related to extortion, the restaurant owner told the police he had not received any threat for extortion.