Moazzam Husain Zaidi, his friend and a TJP activist shot dead in Jhang
24-6-1997
JHANG, June 24: Moazzam Husain Zaidi was sitting with his brother- in-law,
Shakeel Husain Zaidi, in his electronic appliance shop
in front of Mighian police post in a busy commercial area when
two men armed with AK47 rifles appeared on the scene. They
opened indiscriminate fire critically injuring Moazzam,
Shakeel and a customer, Haq Nawaz.
The accused managed to escape in the presence of a number of
policemen. They injured men were taken to the DHQ
Hospital where Moazzam and Shakeel were pronounced dead. The
condition of Haq Nawaz, a resident of Peer Kot Sidhana, was
described as critical by the doctors. Following the
incident all the markets in the area were shut down to protest the
incident. Both the dead men were members of a prominent
Shia family and had been organising Majalis-i-Aza.
Their family alleged the killing was carried out by a rival sectarian
organisation.
In Khairpur Tamewali an activist of Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan was shot
dead in his shop by two unidentified assailants riding
a motorcycle in the Faisalabad Bazaar. Allah Wassaya, 45, was
present alone in his shop when he was fired upon by two hooded
men. He sustained several bullet injuries and crumpled
to the ground. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced
dead. The assailants managed to speed away from the scene on
a motorcycle. All the markets in the city were shut
down and angry protesters of TJP took to the streets. They raised
slogans against police and a rival organisation. A
senior police officer said all vehicles leaving the city
were being checked to prevent the accused from slipping out of the
city.
On April 24 a son of Allah Wassaya was among the nine people killed
in Khairpur Tamewali when unidentified gunmen opened
fire at them in a busy market. During the first six months of
the present year as many as 56 sectarian-related have cost the
lives of about 104 people and over 130 injured.