KARACHI, March 24: A policeman was killed on Saturday and another wounded in an attack on a Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi vehicle in Landhi, said officials and MQM-H leaders.

The police and MQM-H leaders differed over whether the vehicle was immediately part of a convoy led by MQM-H chief Afaq Ahmed when it came under an armed attack.

They agreed, however, that the attack also left a party activist wounded.

MQM-H leaders said that the attack was carried out when the convoy was on its way to Hyderabad to attend a wedding function. The jeep ahead of the convoy came under attack near Landhi 89, they said.

However, the police said that the vehicle attacked was not part of the convoy.

“The firing left two policemen and another person travelling in a jeep wounded,” said Inspector Mazhar Iqbal Awan, the SHO of the Landhi police station.

He identified the policemen as Habibullah and Faisal Taimur, and the other victim, who was driving the jeep, as Munawwar Khan. All the three victims were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraudate Medical Centre, where 25-year-old constable Faisal died.

“There was no convoy… nor was the attacked jeep escorting any vehicle of Afaq Ahmed. The jeep was attacked by some armed men while it was going to a fuel station for a refill. The victim policemen were deployed for Afaq Ahmed’s security and they were originally posted at the Saudabad headquarters,” he added.

He said the jeep was in the use of Afaq Ahmed and its fuel had to be replenished before the occupants could leave for Hyderabad along with Mr Ahmed.

Later, Mr Ahmed cancelled all his engagements and visited the JPMC to inquire after the wounded victims’ health. During his interaction with the media at the health facility, he urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of the violence in Karachi.

“Peace still seems to be a far cry despite the apex court’s suo motu notice of the situation,” he added.

“It is the failure of the Sindh government, which has put the life and property of people in Karachi at risk for political gains,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, MQM-H vice chairman Shamshad Ghori while addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club said that the Landhi firing was an attempt on the life of Afaq Ahmed. He added that the vehicle attacked was part of the convoy led by Mr Ahmed.

He alleged that the police were trying to distort the truth in order to protect certain elements. “We have conveyed our concerns to the authorities. If the situation doesn’t change in a positive way, we will be compelled to take extreme steps,” he warned.