photos; Express News
Karachi: In Bilal Colony, New Karachi, unknown armed suspects shot dead Maulana Saleem Khatri, the leader of Ahlus Sunnat wa Jamaat, in broad daylight. The police started investigating the incident as a target killing. During the last 2 days, another person belonging to a religious group has been subjected to target killing.
According to the details, unknown armed suspects fired indiscriminately near Bilal Colony police station area, New Karachi Sector 5-E Sindhi Hotel and seriously injured a person and escaped.
The person who died in the firing was identified as 58-year-old Maulana Salim Khatri, the deceased was a resident of New Karachi Sector 5-E near Gujarpan Shop, he belonged to Ahle Sunnat wa-ul-Jamaat.
As soon as the shooting incident was reported, officers and officials of police, rangers and law enforcement agencies reached the spot and the crime scene unit was called to the spot to collect evidence.
Acting SP New Karachi Kunwar Asif while talking to media representatives said that at 2:55 pm a caller informed the police that a person was present at Mughal Paan Shop near New Karachi Sindhi Hotel Sector 5E Farhan Pakwan Center. They were shot by 4 unknown armed suspects on 2 motorcycles as a result of which they were seriously injured, they were immediately shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where they died during treatment.
SP Kanwar Asif said that five bullets hit the victim’s body, the police have found 7 shells of nine mm pistol bullets from the crime scene, while the footage of CCTV cameras installed around is being obtained.
SHO Oblal Colony Aftab Abbasi said that the deceased Maulana Saleem Khatri was sitting inside the pan shop, at the same time 4 accused came on 2 motorcycles, out of which 2 accused got off the motorcycle and came to the counter of the pan shop and from there they killed Maulana Saleem. They fired at Khatri with two pistols and escaped, as a result of the firing, Maulana Salim Khatri was seriously injured and shifted to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. He said that the firing incident seems to be a sign of target killing, further investigation is being done in this regard.
A large number of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat leaders, officials and workers reached the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital on the news of the death of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat leader in the firing incident. According to the spokesperson of Ahlus Sunnat Wal Jamaat, the deceased Maulana Saleem Khatri was the provincial legal adviser of Ahles Sunnat Wal Jamaat and leader of the Karachi division.
The CCTV footage of Maulana Saleem Khatri’s firing incident has also come to light, in which it can be seen that Maulana Saleem Khatri was shot in a crowded market. In the footage, 2 suspects can be seen coming to the paan shop on foot, one of the accused children outside. It can be clearly seen while firing, after firing the accused run away and cross the road and escape.
It is clear that Maulana Abdul Qayyum Sufi, a member of the Pakistan Ulema Council Association and Jamia Masjid Muhammadiyah, was targeted and killed in Gulistan-Johar on Tuesday, while Saleem Khatri, the leader of Ahlesunnat wa-ul-Jamaat, was targeted and killed in New Karachi on Wednesday. The incidents of target killing of leaders of 2 religious parties in the city during the last 2 days have opened the pool of police performance.
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