KARACHI: An angry mob set a heavy vehicle on fire after it ran over and killed a motorcyclist in Gulistan-i-Jauhar in the small hours of Friday morning, police and rescue services officials said.

Gulshan SP Ahmed Iqbal Memon told Dawn that an apparently recklessly driven cement mixer hit the pillion riders near Perfume Chowk. As a result, one man, identified as Shayan, was killed while another person was injured. The incident angered area people who set the vehicle on fire.

A Rescue-1122 official told Dawn that the vehicle was completely destroyed in the blaze.

SP Memon said the errant driver was arrested.

In another incident, a trailer killed a bike-rider in Liaquatabad within the remit of the Sharifabad police station.

Shopkeeper shot dead in New Karachi over non-payment of protection money: police

Central SSP Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi told Dawn that Haider Ali Qureshi was riding a motorcycle when a 22-wheeler trailer hit him on the Liaquatabad flyover near the Sindh Government Hospital. He suffered critical injuries and was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) where doctors pronounced him dead.

The errant driver, identified as Fazal Subhan, had been arrested, added the SSP.

The police had registered an FIR against the driver on complaint of the victim’s wife, Lubna, under sections 320 (unintentional murder by rash or negligent driving) and 427 (mischief causing damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Shopkeeper killed over extortion

A shopkeeper was shot dead while two others were wounded by armed men over their refusal to pay protection money in New Karachi on Friday evening during Iftar, police and hospital officials said.

They added that people were breaking fast in a market in New Karachi-5 when armed pillion riders arrived there and opened fire, resulting in bullet injuries to three persons. The suspects fled after the incident.

The wounded men were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where Abdul Jabbar, 45, was declared dead, said police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed.

The deceased had sustained bullet wounds on his head. Two other wounded persons, Ihtisham Fareed, 18, and Babuddin Rahim, 58, were admitted for treatment.

Bilal Colony SHO Israr Afridi told Dawn the incident was related to extortion and the real target was Jabbar. The son of the deceased was also shot at and wounded around 15-20 days ago by extortionists, the officer added.

The SHO said two suspects were already arrested in the case. Meanwhile, the Central SSP visited the crime scene and also met with relatives of the deceased at the hospital.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2025