KARACHI, Jan 13: Three more persons, including a Muttahida Qaumi Movement elders' committee member, were killed on Friday in a Malir area where just a day earlier two rickshaw drivers had been shot dead one after another in what appeared to be a renewed wave of targeted killings.

Following the incidents, tension prevailed in several parts of Malir where gunmen fired into the air and forced closure of markets.

The trouble started when 62-year-old Mohammad Hanif Sheikh was killed in a driveby shooting, police said.They added that he was a member of the MQM elders' committee.

The police said that Mr Hanif was at his paan shop, located at Qalandaria Chowrangi near Kala Board, when he was targeted. He died on the spot, said an official at the Al-Falah police station.

The police shifted the body to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for medicolegal formalities and later handed it over to his family, he said.

The deceased was a resident of Ansabad.

The police said his son was also killed in an almost similar manner some twoyears ago.

A few hours later, a young truck driver was shot dead near the Gul Muhammad football ground in the same vicinity, the police said.

They added that Shahawaz Baloch, 30, was passing through the Siddiq Goth area on a motorcycle when armed men riding a motorbike fired at him and fled.

The deceased was a resident of Asoo Goth, the officials said.

Another young man was killed near Jamia Millia, the police said.

Rashid Yamin, 28, was at his poultry shop where armed men riding two motorbikes pulled up and opened fire onhim before fleeing, the police added.

They said the shopkeeper suffered a gunshot wound in the head and died on the spot.

The police shifted the body to the JPMC for medico-legal formalities.

The victim was an area resident and was not affiliated with any political party, according to the police.

They suspected that the killing was part of the current wave of killings in Malir.

For the last few days, the area has been in the grip of tension causing a breakdown of law and order almost on a daily basis despite the sizable presence of police and Rangers in there.'It seems that the lawenforcement agencies are paid with the people's taxes to look inept and keep mum over the killings,' said an enraged area resident.

Earlier on Jan 11, Adnan Brohi from a nearby Goth was killed and Faqir Mohammad was wounded in an attack.

The following day two rickshaw drivers, Ghulam Rasool Baloch and Haroon Baloch, were killed in a similar manner within the remit of the AlFalah police station.

SHO suspended

Al-Falah SHO Nawaz Chitta was placed under suspension on Friday eveningfollowing the killings within the remit of the police station.

Speaking to Dawn, SSP (east) Khadim Husain Rind said initial reports showed that initially there was a dispute over a TV cable system.

It was followed by a clash over a plot in the area that later turned into a battle ground between two communities, he added.

The SSP acknowledged that the seven people were killed during recent days within the same vicinity, but he dispelled the impression that there was a dispute on ethnic grounds. 'The killings have taken place over petty interests.