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| India-Pakistan |
| Karachi Korpse Kount |
| 2015-05-16 |
| KARACHI: A lone gunman on a motorbike shot dead a senior police officer in Karachi on Friday, police said, the third in a sudden spate of killings targeting senior officers in the city. “The killing of three senior ranking officers in 15 days is quite unusual,” a senior police officer requesting not be named told Reuters. “Earlier, low-ranking policemen like constables and assistant sub-inspectors were being targeted, but now the pattern is changing.” It was unclear who was behind the shootings, or even if they are linked. Friday’s killing of Superintendent Ejaz Haider was claimed by both a Taliban spokesman and a Twitter account purporting to be from a breakaway group of Pakistani militants who have sworn allegiance to Islamic State, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadi communications. Neither claim could be immediately verified. Authorities doubt that Islamic State has operational links with Pakistani militants. But it underlines fears that the ultra-violent Islamic State is inspiring Pakistani militant groups to emulate it, even if the groups do not share funding or fighters. The official, who was reportedly removed from his post around a month ago, was driving a car when fired upon by unidentified gunman on motorcycle in Pehalwan Goth off Gulistan-e-Jauhar. Haider, who was travelling with his wife when attacked, died on the spot while his wife was injured and shifted to a nearby hospital. The shooting of Haider, who was a Shia Muslim, follows Wednesday’s massacre of 45 Shia commuters in Karachi. That attack was also claimed by militants who swore allegiance to Islamic State. |
| Posted by:Steve White |