A security guard was killed when motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at an under-construction shopping mall in Karachi’s Malir 15 area.
Web Desk: A security guard was killed after motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at an under-construction shopping mall in Karachi’s Malir 15 area, police said on Friday.
The deceased was identified as 25-year-old Ali Raza, son of Nisar, who was working as a security guard for a private security company, according to the Karachi police spokesperson.
Security Guard Killed in Mall Firing
According to police, the attackers arrived on motorcycles and opened fire at the under-construction Memon Shopping Mall in Malir 15.
Ali Raza sustained fatal gunshot wounds and died in the incident. Police said the investigation into the shooting was underway.
The victim’s cousin told Express that Ali Raza had been deployed at the shopping mall by the security company around two and a half months earlier. He was unmarried and the second of three brothers, according to the family.
Police Suspect Extortion Motive
Police said they suspect the shooting was connected to an extortion dispute involving a group associated with Lyari gang-war commander Abdul Samad Kathiawari.
According to the police, the shopping mall’s owners had previously received an extortion demand. After the demand was allegedly not met, gunmen had opened fire at the mall several months earlier.
Malir City SHO said investigators suspect members of the same group were involved in the latest attack. Police further alleged that the shooting may have been carried out in retaliation for the deaths of three alleged gang members in a previous encounter with the Special Investigation Unit (SIU).
These links and the alleged motive remain police claims under investigation and have not been independently established in the available reporting.
Previous Attack on Shopping Mall
Police said the same shopping mall had previously been targeted after its owners allegedly received an extortion note.
Express reported that, days after the earlier attack, police killed three people in an alleged encounter in Malir and said the three were among those involved in the firing at the under-construction mall.
The latest shooting has prompted another investigation into the attackers, their motive and any possible connection with the earlier incidents.
Investigation Underway
Police are continuing to investigate the shooting and identify the motorcycle-borne attackers.
Further official information regarding arrests, the weapon used and the progress of the investigation is awaited.
