KARACHI: At least five members of the Shia community were reportedly killed on Saturday, while many others sustained injuries when unidentified assailants opened fire on a religious gathering in Karachi’s Nazimabad area.
“Four men were brought dead to the hospital, while a woman was brought with fatal injuries,” said Dr Rohina Hassan, the additional police surgeon at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The woman later succumbed to her injuries during treatment, he said.
According to details, the attackers entered the camp set up for a majlis outside the residence of a police official and opened fire on the participants.
The majlis was being held in a street adjacent to a police station in Nazimabad-4 area. Some witnesses said that no police official was deployed for the security of the gathering. Karachi police chief AD Khawaja, however, said that organisers did not inform the police about the majlis. According to media reports, three of those killed were brothers.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident and called the Sindh Police inspector general, asking him to set up blockades to arrest the culprits involved.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also condemned the attack and directed the authorities concerned at the federal and provincial levels to hunt down the culprits.
Expressing deep grief and sorrow over the loss of innocent lives, the premier prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls. He also prayed for swift recovery of those injured in the attack. “This heinous attack will not go unpunished. We will not allow terrorists to disturb peace in Karachi. The perpetrators do not deserve mercy and they will be brought to task,” he said.
Separately, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad took notice of the incident and sought a report from the Karachi commissioner and the Sindh IG, read a statement issued on Saturday night.
The governor also directed the authorities concerned to provide best possible medial treatment to those injured in the incident.
