KARACHI: At least two people were injured in an explosion that took place outside Awami National Party (ANP) member’s house near Landhi Hospital Chowrangi in Karachi on Monday, Express News reported.
Initial reports suggest that the explosion was caused by a hand grenade and targeted an ANP member, Siraj Lala.
Police officials said the grenade was thrown by unknown men on motorbikes who immediately fled the scene.
Two people were injured and nearby shops have suffered damage. Lalasiraj is being reported unhurt.
KARACHI: The British government has contacted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan with regards to his concerns for the safety of party workers in Karachi, the PTI chairman’s sister Aleema Khan said on Monday.
Aleema arrived in Karachi to attend the soyem of PTI leader Zahra Shahid Hussain, who was killed in the city on the eve of re-polling for NA-250 constituency.
The PTI chairman’s sister told the media that Imran was concerned about the safety of the PTI supporters protesting in Karachi.
“He was concerned because supporters and leaders have been receiving threats,” she explained.
She further added that PTI supporters in Karachi were threatened not to leave their homes.
Regarding the course the party will take for the murder case, Aleema said the Karachi leadership of PTI will decide on who to nominate in Hussain’s murder FIR.
KARACHI: The British government has contacted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan with regards to his concerns related to the safety of party workers, PTI chairman’s sister Aleema Khan said on Monday.
Aleema arrived in Karachi to attend the soyem of PTI leader Zahra Shahid Hussain, who was killed in the city on the eve of re-polling for NA-250 constituency.
PTI chairman’s sister told the media that Imran was concerned about the safety of the PTI supporters protesting in Karachi.
“He was concerned because the supporters and the leaders had been receiving threats,” she explained.
She further added that the PTI supporters were told not to leave their homes.
Regarding the course the party will take for the murder case, Aleema said the Karachi leadership of PTI will decide on who to nominate in Hussain’s murder FIR.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has asked his party’s activists to tender an apology to the members of Coordination Committee after emotionally charged workers violated organisational discipline at the party’s headquarters, Nine Zero.
According to details, MQM activists gathered at Nine-Zero late Saturday night to register their protest against Imran Khan’s statement. During the protest, some emotionally charged MQM workers assaulted members of the party’s Coordination Committee for failing to act against those who insulted Altaf. The equipment of mediapersons covering the protest was also damaged by protesters.
Taking serious note of the incident, the MQM chief ordered those who violated the party discipline to tender an apology to the members of the Coordination Committee within 24 hours.
A Chinese company, China International Water and Electric Corporation (CIWEC), has shown keen interest to invest in a water supply project, ‘K-IV,’ of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB).
CIWEC general manger, Li Zhili and assistant general manager, Dongwenging, met the KWSB managing director, Misbahuddin Fareed, on Sunday.
Fareed informed that the ‘K-IV’ project is the biggest of its kind in South Asia.
He said that on completion, it will help cater to the city’s needs for the next 30 years, providing 650 million gallons of water per day.
Karachi’s current requirement is 400 million gallons per day.
Li Zhilli said that his company had an interest in the project and promised to relate the details of the plans to the headquarters for consideration.
CIWEC is already working on eight mega-projects in Pakistan.
KARACHI: Karachi’s notorious neighbourhood, Lyari, remained at a standstill as gunshots echoed through the vicinity for the second consecutive day. Parts of Lyari, including Hungorabad, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Road, Ali Mohammad Mohalla, Zikri Mohalla and Al-Falah Road remained tense on Sunday, as violence ensued between two groups.
According to sources, armed men from the Kutchi Rabita Committee (KRC) took positions in Hungorabad while rival group members took up positions on Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Road, Ali Mohammad Mohalla, Zikri Mohalla and Al-Falah Road.
When questioned about their absence, police officials blamed it on the shortage of personnel and armoured personnel carriers (APCs). “The situation in Lyari is now under control,” Kalri SHO Haji Sanaullah told The Express Tribune, adding that all the blocked roads were now open and firing had stopped. He said that KRC member, Saleh Mohammad, was killed and four others wounded in the violence.
There was confusion, however, regarding the death toll as the KRC claimed that ten of their members, including a 12-year-old girl, were killed over the last two days, while the police believe that only five people have been killed.
KRC leader, Daud Kutchi, while talking to The Express Tribune, blamed the outlawed Peoples Amn Committee (PAC) for the killings. “The PAC is taking revenge from us for not supporting their candidates in the elections,” he said. “Delay in action by the law enforcement agencies has resulted in the deaths of 10 of our people so far.”
The PAC leadership was unavailable for comment. Sources in the PAC, however, said that they did not have any link with the ongoing violence, adding that a political party was supporting the KRC to create a law and order situation in Lyari.
Bodies recovered
Bullet-riddled bodies of two young men were found in gunny bags from bushes near the Northern Bypass. Manghopir SHO Aslam Joya said that the victims had been shot multiple times, adding that the motive behind the incident could only be ascertained after their identification. The bodies of the deceased were shifted to Edhi morgue, Sohrab Goth for identification.
KARACHI: While the other three provinces have designated their chief ministers, Sindh has yet to announce its pick for the top office despite the passage of over a week. The delay has sent the rumour mill in an overdrive and speculations have picked up as several names are being tipped to be the next chief executive of the province. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which got a simple majority in the province, has seen a flurry of activity in the past seven days by various lobby groups within the party to secure the spot for one of their favourites. Insiders believe all this lobbying will come to a naught as the final decision rests with President Asif Ali Zardari, who is known to weigh his options very carefully before announcing his decision.
A host of heavyweights are in the fray and potential names doing the rounds include former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, President Zardari’s foster brother Owais Muzaffar, former federal minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Sindh Assembly speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Agha Siraj Durrani and Makhdoom Rafiqueuz Zaman.
Sources familiar with the development told The Express Tribune that the Makhdooms of Hala have upped the ante and have approached President Zardari to get either the CM slot for Rafique or have Makhdoom Amin Fahim named as the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.
Similarly, Khuhro is also known to be making efforts for the position and his recent invitation to all the MPAs and MNAs is being seen as an attempt to woo their support for the coveted position.
The very next day, Syed Qaim Ali Shah arranged a similar function, touted as a reception in honour of the newly elected members, to stake his claim for a second consecutive term.
“There is no specific criterion in our party. The most pliant, most obedient among us and the one who will be ready to tender his resignation when asked, will be the next chief minister,” said a senior party leader on condition of anonymity.
Several initial reports had indicated that Owais Muzaffar was leading the race but party sources have dismissed these speculations and said that his chances were dim owing to his controversial background. They said that they see Shah and Bijarani as the frontrunners.
Shah, a two-time former CM, has the distinction of being the first CM in Pakistan to complete his five-year tenure while Bijarani is one of the old guards and his decision to try his luck on a provincial seat is being seen in this context.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Makhdoom Jameeluz Zaman, son of Amin Fahim, said that his father was offered the position of prime minister by former President Pervez Musharraf but he turned it down out of his loyalty for the party.
He said that his family has stood by the party since its inception and resisted pressures from all the dictators. “We have not demanded the CM position but we deserve it due to our sacrifices. If it doesn’t happen, we will accept the leadership’s decision.”
Making matters more interesting, former minister Manzoor Wasan decided to share one of his dreams with the media. Wasan said that the next CM will be new face who would establish rule of law and good governance. It remains a mystery who Wasan was alluding to.
KARACHI: Police officials have yet to determine whether Zahra Shahid Hussain’s death on Saturday was a targeted killing or she was a victim of an attempted robbery.
Zahra, a senior vice-president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Sindh chapter, was shot at the doorstep of her residence in Phase IV, DHA, on Saturday. She succumbed to her injuries at the National Medical Centre shortly after.
Police officials have found an empty casing of the bullet from the crime scene. The shell has been sent to the forensic division to verify whether it matches with the pistols used in crimes committed recently. Officials pointed out that the driver, Ghulam Hussain’s testimony was very important part of the case because he was the only eyewitness. “We are still not sure whether this was an incident of target killing or she was killed because she resisted a robbery attempt,” the investigation officer, Inspector Ali Ahmed, told The Express Tribune. “It seems that she was killed because she resisted but we are investigating both the possibilities,” he added. He pointed out that they the police had checked her phone records and had questioned the family but they didn’t find anything to suggest that she received threats from anyone.
He also mentioned that the family of the victim was not cooperating properly with the police. “They didn’t give us permission to question the driver.” He recalled that the victim’s daughter quoted the driver in her first statement saying that Hussain was killed because she resisted robbery. “The family told the police later that the culprit opened fire after snatching the victim’s purse.” Inspector Ahmed felt that the delay in allowing the police access to the driver and the changes in the statements made by the family cast a shadow over the case. “The case is still being investigated.”
The victim’s driver, Hussain, told The Express Tribune that the incident occurred when he and the deceased arrived home. “I opened the door of the house and got back into the car to park it inside,” said the shocked driver. “During this time, madam (Zahra) stepped out of the car,” he recalled. “As she was entering the house, one of the armed men came close and opened fire after snatching her purse.”
No FIR has been registered as yet. Zahra’s family told the police that they will register the case after her funeral.
KARACHI: Army kept a hawk’s eye at 43 polling stations of NA-250 on Sunday to ensure that the re-polling was completed without a hitch. Many voters, however, felt that they might have been too late.
“Army should have been deployed inside the polling station on May 11. When they have been called for the re-polls, why couldn’t the Election Commission of Pakistan deploy them on the day of elections so that rigging had not taken place?” complained 40-year-old Rahim Ullah.
Rahim was a resident of Aram Bagh, which is one of the most populated areas and has a majority of Urdu-speaking residents.
For another man, who came to cast his vote at the Usman Memorial School at Gari Khata with his 10-year-old son, the presence of army personnel made all the difference. “We have come here freely and without fear as we know that in the presence of the army, no illegal activities can take place,” he said, adding that ECP should have deployed the law enforcers earlier on May 11.
Law enforcers come together
As policemen looked after the security outside the Jamshad Ahmed Khan Lower Secondary School polling station, Rangers and army personnel were deployed inside the polling station and on the rooftops.
No one was allowed to park their vehicles near the premises of the polling stations and those without their original Computerised National Identity Card were barred from going inside.
Sial Badshah, 40, a resident of the Hijrat Colony made his way to the Islamia Colligate Public Secondary School Hijrat Colony with a photocopy of his CNIC which he lost before the election but could not cast his vote. “I lost my card three days back and now the presiding officer is asking for the original CNIC or the FIR slip for the CNIC,” Badshah told The Express Tribune. Badshah was among those unfortunate voters who could not cast his vote on May 11 either, although he waited for six hours.
People of the Hijrat Colony also complained about their votes being changed. “I could not cast my vote the last time and now they’re saying it has been misplaced – I have no idea where my vote is registered,” said 65-year-old Wazir Badshah, a resident of the Hijrat colony who lost his right leg and hand in his childhood when he was hit by train.
The polling staff was also happy with the presence of army officers, as shared by Naseem Akhtar, an assistant presiding officer. “On May 11 we had no security and political parties’ workers were stopping the polling from time to time,” she said. “Today [Sunday], however, we felt quite safe and calm but the turnout wasn’t as good.”
On-duty
An army official, on the condition of anonymity, spoke about his experience on the day of the re-polls. “Media knows best about why we have been deployed,” he said with a wry smile. “No one can enter here without our permission – our main focus is to maintain law and order.” Replying to a question about democracy and casting his vote, he said “I did not cast my vote although we had the facility to vote through postal ballots. But there is no leader who I think will be able to solve the problems of Pakistan.”
