No let-up in killings as 11 more die

KARACHI At least 11 more people were killed in various incidents of target-killings on Tuesday, taking the death toll to 35 in last five days.
Panic gripped Orangi Town, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, Bafarzone, Bahadurabad and various other localities after the fresh killings.
Tension had escalated on Friday when activists of Awami National Party (ANP) engaged in an opening ceremony of new party office at Qasba Colony and made wall chalking in the dominated areas of rival party Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
The occasion turned violent when MQM activists exchanged firing with the rival group which left two people dead.
On Tuesday, in the first incident of target-killing, Qari Shahid alias Babu, a Pushtoo-speaking prayer leader of Farooq-e-Azam mosque located at Ghazi Goth in the limits of Manghopir police station, was gunned down when he was sitting outside the mosque.
Following the incident, enraged people rioted in the area, blocked traffic and pelted stones on vehicles including ambulances and police mobiles.
Another young man identified as Islam Khan Mehsud, 25, son of Rasool Khan was gunned down when he was sitting at his shop located at KBR Society in the jurisdiction of Taimuria police station. One 35-year-old Bismillah Khan was shot dead when armed persons riding a motorcycle targeted him at a tea stall located near Nagan Chowrangi in limits of Sir Syed police station.
Unidentified motorcyclists opened firing at Safeer Alam, 25, son of Mir Alam, at Bazaar-e-Faisal, Karimabad area in the limits of Azizabad police station. The deceased used to work as a salesman at a cloths shop in the area and was a resident of Sohrab Goth area.
In another violent incident, body of man identified as Javed Khan, 23, son of Taj Mohammad was found from the government school in Qasba Colony in Pirabad police limits. Awami National Party (ANP) claimed that the deceased was its worker and had been killed after abduction.
Unidentified motorcyclists opened indiscriminate firing at a Suzuki pick-up in the limits of Bridge police station. Resultantly, two persons sustained bullet injuries and were shifted to the hospital where one identified as Siraj, 27, succumbed to his injuries and his associate namely Waheed died during treatment.
Another similar incident in Brigade police limits left a teenage boy dead identified as Omer Abbas, 15, and wounded two others namely Taj Muhamamd and Talha when armed men opened fire at the tea stall in Khudadad Colony.
Syed Nazim Zaidi, 28, son of Riaz was killed near Dakkhana roundabout in the limits of Super Market police station. The deceased was a resident of Gulbahar area and used to work in a paper market. Khyber Khan, an ANP activist, was gunned down in North Karachi area in the limits of Khawaja Ajmair Nagri. In the limits of Gulberg police station, a rickshaw driver was gunned down in Karimabad area.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Government finally gave more powers to Rangers and handed over to them 12 out of 18 towns of the City having some 26 police stations.
The notification issued by the Home Department also pointed out the imposition of Section 144 within the limits of all affected 26 police stations.
The decision awarding special powers to Rangers had been taken after failure of police to control the incidents of target-killings.
According to the notification, powers have been given to the Rangers under Anti-Terrorism Act (ATC).
The government has also withdrawn all permission letters for carrying weapons issued by Sindh Home Department under Section 144 CrPC.