Police officer, former MQM activist shot dead

The News Sunday, September 15, 2013 From Print Edition Karachi A policeman and a former activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were killed in gun attacks across Karachi on Saturday. The DSP in charge of the Karachi juvenile jail was gunned down near Malir Cantonment. DSP Mumtaz Ali Shah had left in his car (U-2354) for the juvenile jail when two men riding a motorcycle sprayed his cars with bullets, SP Shah Faisal Syed Asif Ali told The News. “The two men intercepted the DSP’s car in a narrow lane near Faryal School located close to Surty Society, a few hundred metres from the Gate No 2 of Malir Cantonment and fired gunshots at his vehicle. The SP said Mumtaz had suffered four bullet wounds to his head and chest and he died instantly. “Police found 11 empty 9mm pistol bullet shells at the crime scene,” he added. Forty-six-year-old Mumtaz Ali Shah was a resident of Surti Society, Model Colony Malir. He was recently appointed as deputy superintendent of the juvenile prison after he was promoted from the rank of inspector and transferred from the Karachi Central Jail. “The slain DSP’s brother, Sher Muhammad Shah, who claims that he was with Mumtaz at the time of the attack, had survived an attempt on life a month and a half ago,” the police official said. However, the SP doubted that Sher Muhammad Shah was travelling in the car with DSP when he was attacked. “It’s improbable that not a single bullet hit him even though over a dozen rounds were fired on the car by the assailants.” DSP Mumtaz Ali Shah had two wives and seven children. He lived in Model Colony. “His [the slain DSP’s] brother has told us that they had a dispute with some relatives a few weeks back. A nephew of Mumtaz Ali Shah had earlier attacked him in Sehwan.” Talking to reporters, Sher Muhammad Shah, DSP Mumtaz Ali Shah’s brother, said he was accompanying his brother when some men riding a motorcycle started firing on the car. “I was gripped by panic and I ducked inside the car. Therefore, I was unable to see the assailants,” he added. “Mumtaz had a dispute with his nephew in Hyderabad. The motive behind the killing could be that dispute.” The DSP’s body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for autopsy. CM takes notice Taking serious notice of the DSP’s murder, the Sindh chief minister directed the police chief to ensure the arrest of the killer as soon as possible. Qaim Ali Shah condemned the killing and said such cowardly attacks on law enforcement personnel would not dampen their morale to fight against terrorists. The chief minister reiterated his commitment towards continuing the ongoing targeted operations against target killers, extortionists and members of banned outfits. MWM condemns The Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeenm (MWM) said that the government has miserably failed to control law and order situation in Karachi despite launching targeted operation in the city and the situation became further alarming after the target killing of the DSP. Terming the murder of the police officer a sectarian killing, the MWM said that continued target killing of Shia community members has been causing scare and panic among the community as more than a dozen Shias were killed in the last month alone. “The Sindh chief minister is just issuing statements that crime rate in Karachi has gone down but in reality the target killings in Karachi are at peak,” it said, adding, “As per reports 10,000 policemen and officers have been recruited in the Sindh Police on political grounds so how one can expect results from the police.” Ex-MQM man slain In Orangi Town, a man formerly associated with the MQM was gunned down near Qatar Hospital. Adeel, 32, was standing outside his house in Orangi Town No. 5 when two armed men came near him on foot and opened fire at him, SHO Ghulam Nabi Afridi said. The victim was shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. He was shot three times with a 9mm pistol. The spent bullet shells have been sent to the police forensic division.