In a tragic incident, a local councillor belonging to the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) party was shot and killed, while two party workers were injured, during an attempt to resolve a dispute over illegal power connections in Karachi’s Surjani Town area. The incident took place late at night on Thursday, according to the police.
The deceased has been identified as Mohammed Habib, aged 61, while the injured individuals are Syed Adnan, aged 43, and Muzamil, also known as Zaid. The incident occurred when Habib went to Abdul Rahim Goth, a slum area where illegal power connections were widespread, to mediate in the ongoing dispute. The area residents allegedly make regular payments to certain officials as part of their arrangement, as per the police.
The Surjani police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) on the complaint of Habib’s son, Mohammed Hasan. Hasan, who shared that his father served as the JI councillor in Union Council (UC) 7 of Surjani Town, explained that the residents of the area had approached his father regarding the rampant issue of illegal power connections. Habib then contacted UC Chairman Amin Ali Qazi, who promised to attend to the matter. Tragically, while inspecting some shared documents, a group of armed men on motorcycles arrived at the scene and opened fire, resulting in Habib’s death. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, but unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries.
The funeral prayers for Habib were held in Surjani Town, with JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman leading the prayers. In his interaction with the media during the prayers, the JI leader strongly criticized K-Electric for its ineffectiveness in tackling the activities of the “kunda mafia” in the area. He called upon the Director General of the Sindh Rangers and the Sindh Police Chief to apprehend the culprits responsible for the councillor’s killing, warning that the party would initiate a protest if the arrests were not made within 48 hours. The JI leader also alleged that the mafia operated with government support.
UC Chairman Amin Ali Qazi expressed the frustration of the residents towards the alleged mafia operating in the area. He claimed that these individuals, supposedly backed by a prominent political party, provide essential services like electricity, water, and gas in exchange for money.