Attack on 4 Lawyers in Karachi, 3 killed and 1 injured.

Karachi: Unknown motorcyclists shot three lawyers dead at Pakistan Chowk in Karachi on Wednesday. Four lawyers were on their way at Pakistan Chowk when un-known gunmen on two motorcycles opened fire at the car of the lawyers. As a result, three lawyers died on the spot while fourth sustained severe injuries and was rushed to the hospital. The slain lawyers were identified as Shakeel Jafferi, Kafeel Jafferi and Badar Munir.
Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan condemned the killing of three lawyers in the city on Wednesday. The minister said that it was a very sorrowful incident. While talking with media, Wasan said that he has demanded immediate report of the incident from IG and CCPO. He said that the target killing incidents would be ended soon. Mansoor Wasan has ordered the suspension of SHO Aram Bagh, while Interior Minis-ter Rehman Malik has summoned a report from IG Sindh.
The attackers escaped from the scene after committing crime in open daylight. The lawyer community announced a countrywide strike on Thursday. An eyewitness said that there was crowed of people in the bazaar when the mishap occurred. After the incident, security men reached the spot and cordoned off the area. Home Minister said that he ordered the IG Sindh to arrest the killers within 24 hours. “It was a target killing incident, they all were lawyers. Two of them were father and son,” a police official said, adding that the dead bodies were shifted to civil hospi-tal Karachi for medico-legal formalities. The injured, Babar, was in critical state in the hospital.
Police and Rangers arrived at the scene soon after the incident and collected evidence from the site.
The Supreme Court Bar Association said they would protest against the killings by observing a countrywide boycott of court proceedings on Thursday. It is said that more than 1,000 people were killed in violence in Karachi last year, including more than 100 in one week alone in October. The police failed to act and only opened aerial firing after the attack had taken place. The police were also late in cordoning off the crime scene.
Eyewitnesses said that four motorcycle riders on two bikes were pursuing the law-yers’ car and ambushed the car while it was being parked. The gruesome act and the heavy firing had caused panic among the residents of the area. Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat ul Ebad vehemently condemned the incident. He directed the concerned officials for immediate arrest of those involved in the incident. The governor expressed solidarity with the lawyers’ and Shia community and assured them that every possible effort would be made to bring the accused to justice.
Meanwhile, leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain has strongly condemned the killing of three lawyers in Karachi as a result of firing of armed assailants. He expressed his grief and sorrow and said that the sudden killing of people belonging to various religious schools of thought was the outcome of a deep conspiracy.
Mr Hussain said that two persons belonging to a particular school of thought were targeted a few days ago and now people belonging to the Jafria school of thought have fallen prey to a brazen act of terrorism. He added that certain elements wanted to destroy the environment of sectarian harmony and brotherhood in the city by such vicious conspiracies.
Mr Hussain appealed to the Ulema of all the religious schools of thought and the public at large to understand the conspiracy to spoil peaceful environment in Karachi and the plot to kindle sectarian violence. He asked them to show patience on the incidents of terrorism, protect each other and foil the conspiracy to create sectarian tensions by remaining united.
He expressed sympathies with the lawyers’ community. He asked them to bear the loss with patience and restraint.

link: http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=137223