News Analysis |
Two alleged robbers, including an MQM-London hitman, were killed in separate shootouts with police in Central and West districts of Karachi this week. The aforementioned encounter took place on Tuesday evening within Ittehad Town police remit. Police said that acting on information, they rushed towards an X-8 bus stop, Baldia Town’s Ittehad Town.
On seeing the police, the suspects opened fire, which was returned by the cops. After a brief encounter, the police arrested one suspect in an injured condition, but his accomplice fled. The police took the injured robber to Civil Hospital Karachi, where he was pronounced dead. A motorcycle and a 30-bore pistol were seized from the possession of the robber, who was later identified as Zohaib alias WC.
Freed from the reign of terror of the Target Killer, Karachites voted in large numbers to give power to the Tehreek-e-Insaaf in the July 25th elections and all but sealed the doom of the Political militant wing in the city.
SSP Dr Rizwan of District West said Zohaib was a Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London target killer and wanted in connection with charges of involvement in encounters with police, target killings and acts of terrorism. Zohaib had been released from jail on bail a month ago and was extorting money from people and also robbing citizens. He had been booked in 12 criminal cases.
August as a month has been particularly troublesome for the MQM London and its militant wing. Police on 5th August claimed to have arrested two activists of the Muttahida Quami Movement-London alleged to have been involved in target killings. According to District South SSP Omer Shahid Hamid, a police team raided a locality in Arambagh from where they arrested two suspects identified as Mohammad Junaid alias Jimi and Tahir Ahmed Abbasi.
Read more: MQM-London leader found dead in Karachi
Two 30-bore pistols were seized from them and they were moved to the headquarters. During interrogation, the suspects told police that they were associated with the MQM-L and involved in the target killing of Adil, a former sector in-charge of MQM from Surjani Town.
They also confessed to being involved in a number of other target killings, attempt to murder, extortion and other heinous crimes. Hamid further said that on May 6, 2016, Junaid and his associates had targeted Amjad. He was later arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department but released on bail, after which he had gone into hiding. Abbasi, on the other hand, confessed that in 2011 he and other accomplices had targeted two activists of the Pakistan Sunni Tehreek (PST) in Sector-11D, North Karachi while they were sitting at a hotel.
The police took the injured robber to Civil Hospital Karachi, where he was pronounced dead. A motorcycle and a 30-bore pistol were seized from the possession of the robber, who was later identified as Zohaib alias WC.
Moreover, in 2012 he along with his associates had gunned down Asif, who is the brother of an activist of PST. They had also gunned down another activist of PST near Power House Chowrangi, North Karachi. Abbasi also confessed to the murder of Ikraam in Sector-L1, Surjani Town in 2014 and the targeting of Jani, an estate agent in District Central in 2015. Ever since the targeted operation began in Karachi, many target killers have been either killed or arrested.
Read more: Why Nadeem Nusrat’s desertion from MQM-London is not significant?
Security agencies also picked up the number of MQM Pakistan workers for having covert association of MQM London chapter. In a recent raid law enforcement agency picked up PSP Gulshan-e-Iqbal town member Haris aka Lala wanted to the police over a dozen cases of target killing including two police personnel. MQM Pakistan workers including Farhan aka Lamba and Raees have also been picked up from Liaquatabad and Qasba Colony area of Orangi Town. Both MQM-P workers were allegedly in contact with the MQM London chapter.
In a raid conducted in Dehli Colony, law enforcers picked up MQM-P Incharge Fahim while Kashif an alleged target killer arrested in raid conducted in FB Area. Target killers were an integral part of the political parties that dominated Karachi before the 2013 elections. MQM was particularly infamous for utilizing militant wings in order to maintain their hold over the metropolis while clashing with the PPP and ANP.
Target killers were often given the job of killing rival party members and higher ups that would both be a blow to the rival’s manpower as well sow a climate of fear. However, after the targeted operation, the backbone of the political militant wings were broken and the parties particularly MQM’s fortunes took a fall. Freed from the reign of terror of the Target Killer, Karachites voted in large numbers to give power to the Tehreek-e-Insaaf in the July 25th elections and all but sealed the doom of the Political militant wing in the city.