Educationist shot dead in 'targeted attack' in Pakistan's Karachi

An educationist, who was also a senior office-bearer of the private schools' association, was gunned down on Sunday, in what police described as a 'targeted attack' in Karachi's Gulistan-i-Jauhar area.

Victim Syed Khalid Raza, 55, was the deputy director of the Darul Arqam Schools, Karachi region. He was also the vice chairman of the Federation of Private Schools Pakistan.

The police said that the incident took place at Gulistan-i-Jauhar Block-7 near his home.

Superintendent of Police-East Zubair Nazeer Shaikh said that the victim came out of his home towards his car parked nearby. He said assailants on a motorcycle emerged there, opened fire at him and rode away.

He suffered a single bullet wound in the head and died on the spot. The police said that it appeared that the assailants were waiting for him.

"Definitely, it appears to be a targeted killing incident," said the SSP.

The body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for a post-mortem examination.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of the targeted killing of the educationist and directed the Karachi police chief to investigate the case and submit his findings to him.

In a similar incident, on Sunday morning, at least four people were killed and 12 wounded in an explosion inside the Rakhni market in Balochistan's Barkhan on Sunday morning, reported Business Recorder quoting Aaj News. The injured persons have been moved to a nearby hospital while security forces cordoned off the area for investigation. The incident came a day after two policemen were killed and two were injured in a remote-controlled blast in Balochistan's Khuzdar district.

Earlier this week, security forces killed eight militants during a combing operation in Balochistan's Kech district, the military's media affairs wing said, the B Recorder reported.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), terrorists tried to ambush a convoy of security forces in District Kech of Balochistan on the evening of February 22.

It said that alert and combat-ready troops not only foiled the cowardly attack without any loss of life, but they also immediately commenced a follow-up operation to hunt down the fleeing terrorists using ground and aviation assets.

"As a result, on the morning of February 23, a suspected hideout of terrorists was identified in Mazaaband Range where a sanitisation operation was launched. In the ensuing, and heavy exchange of fire, eight terrorists were killed while a large cache of arms and ammunition including explosives was recovered," the ISPR said.

"Security forces of Pakistan will continue to thwart any attempt by inimical elements on the behest of hostile intelligence agencies, to disrupt hard-earned peace in the province," it added.