Home »Top Stories » 44 Ismailis killed in Karachi

Pistol-wielding gunmen stormed a bus, killing 44, including 16 women, and wounding others here on Wednesday. According to police, 8 to 10 gunmen on motorbikes intercepted at 9:40 am a bus No JB-0333 of Al-Azhar Garden on Suparco Road at a roundabout near Kiran Hospital and opened fire on commuters, piercing bullets into their heads. The bus was carrying 55 to 60 commuters from Ghazi Goth Scheme No 33 Gadap Town, District Malir, to Ayesha Manzil, District Central.

The victims belonging to Ismaili community were going to their jobs at Aga Khan School, Aga Khan Hospital, and Jamaat Khana at Ayesha Manzil, FB Area. The killers fled the scene safely. The bodies and the injured were brought to Memon Medical Complex Safoora Goth and later the bodies were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Aga Khan Hospital.

According to eyewitness, terrorists embarked on the bus from front and back gates and opened indiscriminate fire on commuters. "We thought they are dacoits but suddenly one of them shouted "kill all"; two to three armed persons fired a volley of bullets on commuters," said eyewitness woman, who got injured during the attack.

Preliminary investigations by police suggested that the incident occurred at around 9:38am when around 10 men, some of them appeared to be in police uniforms, riding three to four motorcycles intercepted the bus near Kiran Hospital. Four terrorists embarked upon the bus and sprayed the commuters with bullets. Police said that the attackers first used 9mm pistols and later they opened indiscriminate fire with an AK-47 and an SMG. Hundreds of empty shell casings were found at the spot and inside the bus. Reportedly, the bus driver is still alive but in a critical condition.

They were identified as Nazar Ali Noor Muhammad, Sayed Nazar Ali Manpura, Jawaid Dilawah Manpura, Asmita Saleem Kadiwal (f), Liaquat Noorji Sunesara, Nazar Miyaji Sunesara, Arusha Zulfiqar Maknojia (f), Rajab Ali Mohmmad Kuwara, Rizwan Raheem Badarpura, Alisha Akbar Maknojia (f), Raheem Mianji Sherwa, Noor Ali Bhai, Abdul Wala, Sonia Sultan (f), Ramzan Wali, Neelum Rizwan (f), Ameena Nazar Sunesara (f), Shameem Amir Ali (f), Lathci Bhai Sultan Ali, Zubaida Akbar (f), Zubaida Nazar Ali (f), Sultan Qasim Varsila, Wali Bhen Qasim Dukka (F), Daughter of Rajab Pi Mohammad, Shamim Shaukat (F), Yasmin Nizar Duka (f), Shaukat Bhai, Aneela Zulfiqaar (f), Hussian Sultan Ali, Arfa Ameer Ali (f), Zulfiqaar Mohammad Mema, Sani Saleemabad (f), Sheeraz Noor Ali, Mohsin Mansoor Vakalia, Sohail Sultan Pir Mohammad, Shaukat Nazar, Imtiaz Kareem Maredia, Nizar Akbar, Nazim Shamsuddin, Sherin Abdul Methan, Hanif Akbar, Sadurddin Wali Utha and Zaida Saeed Wali are among people who lost their lives in the incident. Badruddin, Pinki, Zuhra Hameed, Zeeshan, Noman and Habib Shaukat are among the injured persons.

Sindh Police has constituted a high-level committee headed by Additional IG Sindh to investigate the killings. Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah, Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq and others visited Memon Medical Complex to inquire about the health of victims of the terrorist attack. The Sindh government has announced monetary compensation for the families of those who lost their lives and the injured.

The Sindh government has also decided to observe 'black day' on Thursday against the Safoora tragedy. According to provincial Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon, the Sindh government would observe a mourning day in the entire province, particularly Karachi. He said that police and law enforcement agencies have been directed to make all possible efforts to arrest the culprits involved in the Safoora carnage.

MQM and business community have supported the 'black day' call. Sindh High Court Bar, Karachi Bar and Malir Bar also condemned the incident and announced protest. Intermediate board has postponed all papers and now the exams for these papers will be held on May 21, 2015.

Following the mourning announcement, Karachi Tajir Ittihad has announced the closure of all markets. According to Atiq Mir, Chairman Karachi Tajir Ittihad, all markets including Saddar, Empress Market, Boltan Market, Jamia Cloth, Hyderi, Clifton, Tariq Road, Zainab Market and Electronics Market will remain closed to observe 'black day'. Transporters have also decided to keep their vehicles off the road.

IGP Sindh Ghulam Hyder Jamali called an urgent meeting at Karachi Police office building (KPO) to review the law and order situation. Additional IGP Karachi Ghulam Qadir Thebo, DIG South, DIG West, DIG East, DIG CIA & other senior officers also attended the meeting.

Reviewing the overall law and order situation, IG Sindh said that it was imperative to revisit in-placed security plan and adopt extraordinary measures to ensure safety to the lives and properties of citizens. He further directed to beef up security at all public places including mosques, Imambarghas, Jama'at Khanas, Mazars, shopping centres and bus-stands/stops. Jamali also directed to boost security at all places of worship of minority communities, vital installations and Government/ semi-government buildings. Meanwhile, IG Sindh has suspended SHO Shoaib and DSP Qamar Raza after the tragic incident.

Funeral payers of victims will be held today at 11am at Al-Azhar Garden Safoora Goth. They will be laid to rest in Aga Khan Graveyard, Sakhi Hasan, North Nazimabad. According to Medico Legal report, most of victims have received single bullet shot in upper part of their bodies.

Reuters adds: Uzma Alkarim, a member of the Ismaili community, said the bus took commuters to work every day. The Ismailis had faced threats before, she said. "Around six months ago, our community elders had alerted us to be careful because of security threats but things had calmed down recently," she said. English leaflets left in the bus were headlined "Advent of the Islamic State!" and used a derogatory Arabic word for Shi'ites, blaming them for "barbaric atrocities ... in the Levant, Iraq and Yemen".

The leaflets also blamed Shi'ites for a deadly sectarian attack in Rawalpindi, next to the capital Islamabad, and raged against extrajudicial killings by police. Many religious minorities blame the government for not doing enough to protect them. Police are underpaid, poorly equipped and poorly trained.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2015


Copyright Reuters, 2015


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