TV anchor among four killed in firing incidents in Karachi

KARACHI: Four persons including a private TV channel anchor Mureed Abbas Khar were gunned down in separate incidents of firing in Karachi, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Mureed Abbasi Khar, a renowned anchor at a private news channel, was killed in a gun attack reportedly took place in Khayaban-e-Bukhari neighbourhood of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) area of the metropolis.

Police officials claimed that a financial dispute turned into a violent fight between friends. Mr Khar has received bullet wounds and taken to a private hospital. Later, he was shifted to Jinnah Hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

Dr Seemi Jamali, the head of Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), confirmed deaths of the two persons.

Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) South said that the firing was lodged by persons in a car which killed at least two people. The second deceased person was identified as Khizer.

The SSP South added, “The person who opened fire on Mureed Abbas was known to him.”

However, the police officer refused to disclose the name of the suspected person.

He further detailed that Mr Khar and Mr Khizer were killed in separate firing incident in the same locality. The police officer said that Khizer was murdered near a building located few kilometres far from the crime site where Mr Khar was targeted.

Police told ARY News that Khizer was also present there along with Mr Khar who managed to run away from the crime site. Later, Khizer was followed and killed by the suspect Atif Zaman.

Zaara Abbas Khar, the wife of slain Mureed Abbas Khar, told media alleged that her husband was murdered by a tyre businessman Atif Zaman, who is refusing to return the money which he acquired for corporate investment.

Ms Khar revealed, “I’d received a call from Mureed that Atif Zaman called him to his office. He thought that Atif called him to return the money which he had invested for business.”

She added, “Atif Zaman was refusing to pay back the money up to Rs50 lakhs which Mureed had invested in his business. Many other people have also made investment in Atif’s tyre business.”

When asked for her suspicions over Zaman, Ms Khar said, “I’ve no doubt that Mureed was killed by Atif Zaman as he had called him to his office by himself.”

The story took a new turn as the alleged killer of Mr Khar, Atif Zaman, shot himself when a police team arrived in at his residence in Khayaban-e-Nishat neighbourhood of Karachi’s DHA area.

Police authorities said that the department has launched a thorough probe into the incident and more facts will come forth after an investigation into all aspects.

In another incident, two persons were killed in firing at Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of the metropolis. The deceased persons were identified as Azizullah and Nazik.

The dead bodies were shifted to hospital, whereas, a heavy contingent of law enforcers cordoned off the whole area.

Inspector General (IG) Sindh Police took notice of the violent incident in Karachi and summoned a report from the police officers.