Violence in Pakistan's Karachi claims 15 lives in 3 days

At least 15 people were killed and several others were injured in separate incidents of gunfire over the last three days in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, local media and police said. On Friday, at least seven people were killed and several others got injured in various incidents ofviolence across the city. Some unknown militants gunned down a man in Chisti Nagar area of the city on Friday evening, the murders fled from the scene and the deceased has not been identified yet. Tortured corpse of a teenager was found from Orangi Town area in the afternoon. Police said that the youth's killing seems to be an incident of target killing. Meanwhile, three people were injured when some unknown militants hurled a cracker at a shop in Timber Market area of Karachi. Earlier in the wee hours of morning, five people were killed when some unknown gunmen riding a motorbike opened fire at a tea stall in Federal "B" Area Industrial Area. Police said that the killed people were activists of Ahl-e- Sunnat Wa Al Jamaat (ASWJ), the largest group of Sunni Muslims in the city who were in a constant confrontation with Shia Muslims. ASWJ leader Maulana Aurangzeb Faruqui later confirmed that all the five deceased were their activists, and demanded immediate arrest of the murderers. Violence gripped the city on Thursday where at least three people were killed and several others sustained injuries in three separate incidents of firing across the city. Bodies of two men, who were kidnapped early this month, were found in Crown cinema area and Tibet center of the city. Police said that the bodies were bearing stab marks and the victims were shot down after severe torture. A middle-aged man was killed and two others were injured on Thursday when some unknown gunmen shot him dead in Aziz Nagar area of Karachi's Orangi Town. Two more people were injured by gun firing in North Nazimabad's Lassi Goth area of Karachi. Meanwhile, rangers and police force carried out a search operation in various areas of the city, arresting seven suspected criminals. Earlier on Wednesday, five people including a policeman and a trader were killed in separate incidents of gunfire across the city. A middle-aged trader was gunned down near Cheel Chowk on Wednesday. Police said that the trader was killed in a targeted attack as he was receiving life threats from extortionists. A case has been lodged against the extortionists and investigation into the incident has been kicked out. Two other men were gunned down in separate incidents of firing in Manghopir and Soldier Bazaar area. An activist of ASWJ was gunned down in Jackson Market area of the city. Body of a Head Constable was recovered from the Lea Market area. Police said that the constable was kidnapped one day earlier when he was performing his duty in the area. Killing of the Head Constable raised the death toll of the policemen killed in Karachi since 2012 to 90. Earlier talking to media on October 22, Sharjeel memon, Information Minister of Sindh province with Karachi as capital city said that 89 policemen have been killed since the beginning of this year. He said that policemen are at the hit-list of the attackers who target them with sophisticated weapons. Meanwhile, police claimed on Wednesday that they have held three activists of Pakistan Taliban from the city, who were allegedly involved in target killings and extortion. The history of violence in Pakistan's largest business hub of Karachi dates back to early 1990s, but during the last two years a notable increase has been witnessed in the incidents of target killing in the city, resulting from political and religious confrontation. According to media reports, an estimated of over 1,800 people have been killed in various incidents of target killing in Karachi since 2012.