7 Shia Suparco employees shot dead in Karachi
03-10-2003

KARACHI, Oct 3: Six people were shot dead and seven others wounded when a bus carrying employees of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Organization (Suparco) for Friday prayers was ambushed by armed men on the Hub River Road here.

The Suparco bus, with 35 employees, dropped some people at one mosque and then proceeded towards an Imambargah near the Baba Wilayat Shah shrine to drop the remaining persons. As it reached the junction of a link road and the Hub River Road, three unidentified armed men on a motorcycle intercepted it and sprayed it with bullets.

The shooting took only a few minutes, and the assailants sped away without facing any resistance.

Five people died on the spot and eight others were wounded, two of them seriously. Edhi ambulances shifted the bodies to the Rizvia Imambargah. The dead were identified as Athar Ali, 30; bus driver Mohammad Qasim, 50; Hashim Raza, 40; Raza Ali, 40; and Hawaldar Mohammad Rafiq Shahid, 40.

The victims were first taken to the nearby Murshid Hospital. Later, the injured were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and the Civil Hospital.

One Suparco employee, Syed Wasiul Hasan Zaidi, who was operated upon at the Civil Hospital, succumbed to injuries.

The injured taken to the JPMC were Munawar Ali Zaidi, 26; Asghar Zaidi, 30; Syed Itrat Hussain, 40; Ali Hussain, 30; Asif Ali Jafri, 38; Aslam Abbas, 45; and Pervez, 42.

DIG Operations Tariq Jamil termed the incident a sectarian killing and said an investigation had been initiated.

Police refused to speculate as to whether the killings were motivated by any particular incident. However, the police suspected the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi behind the killing.

SSP Investigation Zone-IV, Niaz Ahmed Khoso, told Dawn that the bus had left Suparco around 12:45pm. It stopped at the junction of the link road and the Hub River Road near the Suparco checkpost where some people got down, and 13 employees remained on board.

Witnesses told the police that as the bus driver went towards the Imambargah, three motorcyclists intercepted it. Two of them, holding sub-machine-guns, sprayed the vehicle with bullets. Police found 35 spent shells on the spot.

All the assailants were masked, Mr Khoso said, and added: "The incident took place in front of the security personnel at the Suparco checkpost but they could do nothing as they were unarmed."

Following the incident, the Hub River Road was closed for traffic for some time as ambulances and police vans rushed to the scene.

Five bodies of those killed were sent to the Rizvia Imambargah for final rites amidst a tense atmosphere in the area.

A heavy contingent of police and Rangers was deployed to maintain peace. The funeral prayers for three of them would be held there on Saturday after Zuhr prayers.

The body of Raza Ali was being sent to his native Multan city and the body of Mohammad Rafiq was received by his family. The body of Mohammad Qasim was taken away by his family to Korangi No2 1/2 for offering funeral prayers at a mosque. He belonged to interior of Sindh.

The news of the killing spread like wildfire and tension was felt even in other localities such as Ancholi Society, Abbas Town, Jaffar-i-Tayyar Society. Shops were closed in these localities in mourning. A demonstration was held in front of Shah-i-Khurasan near Purani Numaish.

On Aug 16, a well-known doctor was shot dead in a sectarian killing in Malir. Earlier, five brothers were shot dead on Aug 9 on Jahangir Road by some motorcyclists.

An activist of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, Saadat Ali, was shot dead in New Karachi and Syed Mohabat Hussain Naqvi, 55, was killed in Nazimabad on June 12 in sectarian killing.

On Feb 27, two owners of a bakery were shot dead on M.A. Jinnah Road. Nine people were shot dead on Feb 22 by two motorcyclists outside Imambargah Muntazirul Mehdi in Al-Falah Society, Malir.

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Mourners turn violent, set vehicles on fire
04-10-2003

KARACHI, Oct 4: Hundreds of mourners, carrying the coffin of Hashim Raza, one of the victims of the Friday's shooting incident, turned violent on Saturday and torched many vehicles and a traffic police kiosk. They also attacked and caused damage to petrol pumps and signboards on their way to a graveyard in North Karachi.

The funeral procession started after Hashim Raza's Namaz-i-Janaza in Rizvia imambargah after Zuhr prayers and the participants marched towards North Karachi's graveyard.

Markets, shops and other business concerns along the procession route were closed as a precautionary measure and heavy contingent of police and Rangers was deployed. A considerable number of law-enforcement personnel marched with the procession.

The mourners were chanting slogans against the government for its failure in providing security to innocent citizens. The procession turned violent while passing through Nazimabad No 7, near the office of the Board of Secondary Education, and the situation aggravated when the participants started pelting the law-enforcement personnel with stones. They also caused damage to signboards on shops and offices in the locality and a petrol pump located in front of the board office. Some of the processionists lit bonfire at the intersection in the same locality.

Fire Brigade sources said that during the agitation, people set on fire a car, a taxi, a bus, an oil tanker, a motorbike and a traffic police kiosk between the intersection and the board office building.

The bus, the sources added, was saved from complete destruction but all the other vehicles gutted and the kiosk, near the board office, was badly damaged.

However, police sources said that nine motorcycles and a scooter were set on fire besides other vehicles.

Another petrol pump, near Inquiry Office, also came under the mourners attack during which, apart from the station, dozens of vehicles were damaged.

Police and Rangers fired teargas shells and carried out baton-charge on the processionists to bring the situation under control. Later, the procession resumed its march.

At Sakhi Hassan roundabout, the processionists attacked a bus which was packed to its capacity and even carrying passengers atop its roof. Due to the intensity of stone-pelting, the bus driver got panicked and tried to drive the vehicle in reverse gear. However, he lost control of the bus which overturned. Several people trapped inside suffered injuries.

Finally, the procession reached the graveyard where Hashim Raza's body was laid to rest and the mourners dispersed.

Earlier, Namaz-i-Janaza of Wasiul Hasan, another victim of the same incident, was offered in the morning and he was laid to rest in a Malir graveyard. The bodies of Raza Ali, Rafiq Shahid and Athar Ali were sent to Gilgit, Bahawalpur and Multan respectively, for last rites.

Namaz-i-Janaza of Mohammad Qasim was held at a mosque in Korangi and his body was laid to rest in a local graveyard late Friday.

To ensure peace along the procession route, police had closed the main road from Rizvia to North Karachi, that included access roads in Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Nagan Chowrangi and UP Morr, for vehicular movement. The traffic was diverted to alternative routes which caused jams at various places in other areas also.

Certain roads leading to Nazimabad, North Nazimabad and North Karachi were also closed. The traffic flow in Liaquatabad was badly affected as movement towards Nazimabad was not allowed. After heavy jams in Liaquatabad, the traffic from Karimabad was diverted to Gharibabad and Gulshan-i-Iqbal.

The traffic remained disturbed from noon and situation started improving in the evening when police removed the temporary barriers.

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Key LJ member detained
17-10-2003

KARACHI, Oct 17: The police have detained a key member of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, identified as Asif alias Chhotu, in connection with the Suparco killing case, law enforcement officials said on Friday.

Without specifying the exact number of the detained people, they said that some persons were picked up involved in killing six employees of the space research institution on the Hub River Road on Oct 3.

Sources said that the law enforcement agencies had raided several places after extensively grilling the detained persons.

They said an extremist, affiliated with the banned group, was picked up a couple of days ago, who was identified as Shahnawaz alias Shani. He was thoroughly grilled and later he led the law enforcement agencies to arrest the key militant of the banned group Asif alias Chhotu.

They said that Asif was believed to be the successor of the arrested accused Akram Lahori, presently facing trials in a number of murder cases.

The law enforcement agencies termed his arrest a major breakthrough not only in the Suparco killing case but it would help solve the case of firing at an imambargah in Al Falah Society on Feb 22, in which nine people were killed, besides the killing of Dr Ibne Hasan in Malir on Aug 16.

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Four Lashkar men arrested
22-10-2003


KARACHI, Oct 22: Police on Wednesday formally showed the arrest of four members of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, a banned sectarian outfit, allegedly involved in the recent attack on a Suparco bus in which six people were killed.

Police said that the activists were involved in several others sectarian killings also.

Disclosing the arrests at a press conference, the Provincial Police Officer, Syed Kamal Shah, said that all the four accused were associated with the 'Asif Chottu faction' of the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. However, the PPO said, Asif alias Chottu was not in police custody yet and that police were making hectic efforts for his arrest. Mr Shah claimed that the four arrested accused were involved in several target killings and terrorist acts besides the attack on the Suparco bus.

According to him, the suspects had confessed to their involvement in a bomb blast at PSO House, killing of a journalist Saghir Jafri and a headconstable Mitho Khan in Korangi, and an armed attacked on the Imambargah Muntazarul Mehdi in Al-Falah where nine people were killed.

Mr Shah further stated that the suspects were involved in the murder of one, Umair, in the limits of Khawaja Ajmair Nagri as well as of a head constable Abdul Aleem and attempted murder of a sub-inspector Asrar Awan, both of the CID, in Soldier Bazaar.

The PPO told newsmen that acting upon a tip off, a joint team of the Anti-violent Crime Cell and Investigation Zone-4 conducted a raid on a hideout in Saeedabad and arrested Shahnawaz alias Shan. A klashnikov rifle, earlier snatched from headconstable Mitho Khan in Korangi, was recovered from his possession, he claimed.

Mitho Khan was shot dead by the same gang on February 21, he recalled. About the arrest of the other three activists, Mr Shah said that during the investigation, Shahnawaz revealed whereabouts of his accomplices who happened to be hiding in Orangi Town. Accordingly, he said, raids were conducted and the suspects, Mohammad Masroorul Haq, Mohammad Javed and Mohammad Shamim, were arrested. A sizable quantity of arms and ammunition, including three pistols, five hand grenades, a triple-two rifle and its rounds, was recovered from their possession, Mr Shah added.

Replying to a question about the killing of five brothers, the PPO said that investigations into the case were under way and that an early breakthrough could be expected.

Regarding the most recent killing of Zeeshan Kazmi, Mr Shah said that several police officials were on terrorists' hit list.

In reply to a question about suicide by one, Laiq Chacha, who jumped off the sixth floor of Noman Avenue, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, the Mr Shah said that the man was an associate of the four arrested Lashkar activists.

The PPO stated that two of the gang members, Shaukat Javed alias Chand and Wahab Afghani, who had been carrying out terrorist activities and target killings along with the arrested activists, were also at large.

He said that until the arrest of these two men as well as their ring-leader Asif Chottu, more terrorist activities could not be ruled out. He pointed out that keeping in view the gang's particular targets in the past, foreign missions, mosques and Imambargahs could be considered as vulnerable to their attacks.

In such a situation, he added, the police had to remain on alert. Mr Shah observed that following the arrest of Akram Lahori last year, a new wave of terrorism was witnessed in February this year.

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LJ activist dies fleeing police
21-10-2003

KARACHI: An absconding convict and activist of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) died after he jumped from his fifth floor flat to escape arrest late on Tuesday night.

The activist of the banned militant outfit, Laeeq alias Chacha, died soon after he fell on the ground from his flat on the fifth floor of Noman Avenue in Gulistan-e-Jauhar in Sharea Faisal police limits. He was trying to escape arrest as police had raided the building in the jurisdiction of Sharea Faisal Police Station.

Town Police Officer Sharea Faisal Asif Ejaz Sheikh confirmed the LJ activist�s death. He said a police party of the investigation branch Jamshed Quarters had conducted a raid at the building on receiving a tip-off about Laeeq�s presence in the building.

The area residents and some police sources told The News that the raiding team took into custody two others - Aamir alias Fauji and Javed alias Dakait - probably Laeeq�s accomplices. They were shifted to some unknown place for investigations.

Sources in police said Laeeq was involved in an attack with explosives on Saudabad Police Station on January 12, 2003. Two policemen had died in the incident. The deceased was an accomplice of Asif Chotu, another LJ activist, and had escaped arrest several times.

Meanwhile, Maulana Abdullah Shah Mazhar, chief of Al-Furqan, a splinter group of Jaish-e-Muhammad, was attacked by two armed men on motorcycles in Sharfabad, within New Town police limits. He was going to Jamia Masjid Sharfabad. The police guard posted at the Masjid retaliated but the attackers managed to make their escape good under the cover of fire.

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Remand of accused extended
30-10-2003

KARACHI: Justice Shabbir Ahmed of the Sindh High Court, who is also administrative judge of the Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs)of Karachi on Thursday extended police remand of accused Shahnawaz, alias Shan, of banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, allegedly involved in the SUPARCO bus killing case, till November 6, 2003.

The Police Investigation Zone, Shershah Town, Karachi, produced the accused amid tight security before the court and requested extension of the police remand.

According to police, he was one of accused involved in SUPARCO�s bus killing case on October 3, 2003. Six people were shot dead and seven others wounded when the bus carrying the employees of Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Organisation (Suparco) for Friday prayers was ambushed by armed men on Hub River Road, Mauripur area, Karachi.

Athar Ali, bus driver Mohammad Qasim, Hashim Raza, Raza Ali, Hawaldar Mohammad Rafiq Shahid and Syed Wasiul Hasan Zaidi were died on spot while Munawar Ali Zaidi, Asghar Zaidi, Syed Itrat Hussain, Ali Hussain, Asif Ali Jafri, Aslam Abbas, and Pervez were injured in the attack.

Meanwhile, police also obtained a seven-day remand of the accused in sectarian killing cases in which he was earlier declared absconder.

As per FIRs against him and the main accused, Abdul Wahab, lodged at Arambagh police station, they are charged with killing Mohammad Baqar and Ghulam Husain in a bakery at Lighthouse area on February 27.

They have also been charged with planting a bomb in the parking area near PSO House and the killing of journalist, Saghir Kazmi, in Korangi area Karachi on February 20.

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HEARING PUT OFF: Lashkar-i-Jhangvi activist Shahnawaz alias Shani
27-7-2004

An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of trial against Shahnawaz alias Shani, an activist of banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, who is being tried for his alleged involvement in Suparco bus killing case.

An application was filed by mother of the accused seeking three days time to engage a private counsel for proceeding the case for defence side. ATC, headed by Judge Feroz Mehmood Bhatti, who is conducting the trial in central jail Karachi, granted the application and fixed the matter for July 31, 2004.

According to prosecution, accused along with absconding accused Asif Choto and Shaukat attacked a Suparco bus with automatic weapons, carrying employees of Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Organization (Suparco) for Friday prayers, at Hub River Road, Mauripur area Karachi on Oct 3, 2003.

Six people, Athar Ali, bus driver Mohammad Qasim, Hashim Raza, Raza Ali, Hawaldar Mohammad Rafiq Shahid and Syed Wasiul Hasan Zaidi died on the spot while Munawar Ali Zaidi, Asghar Zaidi, Syed Itrat Hussain, Ali Hussain, Asif Ali Jafri, Aslam Abbas and Pervez were injured in this attack. Special Public Prosecutor Maula Bux Bhatti is representing the state.

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Case adjourned against Lashkar-i-Jhangvi activist Shahnawaz alias Shani
14-10-2004

KARACHI, Oct 14:An anti-terrorism court in Karachi, headed by Judge Feroz Mehmood Bhatti, on Thursday adjourned the hearing of a case against Shahnawaz alias Shani of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, who is facing charges for his involvement in the Suparco bus firing case after deposition by the magistrate.

The LJ activist, with other absconding co-accused Asif Choto and Shaukat, attacked the Suparco bus with automatic weapons, carrying its employees for Friday prayers at the Hub River Road in Mauripur on Oct 3, 2003.

Judicial Magistrate Mumtaz Ali Solangi, who conducted the identification parade of the accused, recorded his statement. The court, which is holding trial in central jail Karachi, fixed Oct 22 for the next hearing. Special Public Prosecutor Iqtedar Ali Hashmi is representing the state. -PPI

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Lakhkar-i-Jhangvi man identified in sectarian killing case
03-01-2005

KARACHI, Jan 3: An eye-witness identified on Monday an activist of the banned Lakhkar-i-Jhangvi in the murder case of six Suparco employees.

Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, fixed Jan 7 for the next hearing after the deposition of Mohammed Younus, a security guard of Suparco.

Six Suparco employees were killed and several others injured when their official van was fired upon on Oct 3, 2003, on the Hub River Road within the limits of the Mauripur police.

Shahnawaz alias Shani, with an absconding co-accused, has been charged with the killing. The security guard deposed that he was posted at a nearby check-post. He said one of the accused shot the driver of the bus and Shahnawaz, armed with a Kalashnikov rifle opened fire on left side of the bus.

Defence counsel Maqboolur Rahman also cross-examined the prosecution witness. State is being represented by special public prosecutor Iqtidar Ali Hashmi.



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