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Tension grips Karachi as student leader shot dead

Activists of ANP burn tires during a strike after the murder of ANP activist at PID road.in Karachi—ONLINE

KARACHI: Tension gripped old city areas after an office-bearer of the Pukhtoon Students Federation (PkSF) was killed by unknown gunmen at Pakistan Chowk on Friday evening.

There were reports of firing and stone-pelting at passing vehicles from various downtown areas. 

The killing led to the closure of shops and businesses in and around Pakistan Chowk, M. A. Jinnah Road, Denso Hall, Electronics Market, Tower and Lyari after armed men resorted to aerial firing. 

Enraged protesters ransacked the Civil Hospitals emergency ward and manhandled doctors and paramedical staff.

Preedy DSP Salman Husain said that Sohail Zahid Shah, 26, owner of a printing press at the Pakistan Chowk and an officer-bearer of the Karachi chapter of the PkSF, was gunned down outside his shop by two suspects riding a motorcycle. 

The victim was struck thrice by bullets: two in the chest and one in the head. He was immediately taken to the Civil Hospital, but died of injuries, the DSP said. 

Activists of PKSF, who took away his body without the completion of legal formalities, resorted to aerial firing along the way to Sultanabad, where the deceased lived, the DSP added. 

Protesters blocked the M.T. Khan Road by parking trucks and burnt tyres on the road, suspending traffic from the Mauripur Road to PIDC bridge. There were reports of heavy gunfire from Patel Para and adjoining areas too. 

Police said that four people were injured in disturbances in trans-Lyari areas. On April 22, a man was killed and several others were injured when PkSF activists were attacked by armed suspects outside the Federal Urdu Science University. 

Meanwhile, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement condemned the killing of Awami National Party workers and said that by targeting political workers and innocent citizens, terrorists wanted to destroy the peace in the metropolis.

Speaking at a press conference at ‘90’, the party’s headquarters, MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said recently Altaf Hussain and Asfandyar Wali had decided that both MQM and ANP would work together in Karachi to maintain peace, but certain elements did not like it and were trying to destabilise the situation by killing members of both parties.

(Dawn:Saturday, 25 Apr, 2009)