Karachi: Residents of Orangi town ransacked an abandoned office of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Thursday after two people were gunned down Wednesday night over not paying extortion money.
The Express Tribune reported that Muhammad Shahid, 22, and Ikhlas Rasool, 13, were shot dead after they refused to give fitra. It is not clear, however, which group or political party, if any, the extortionists belonged.
Danish Saleem, another youngster, was injured in the incident.
The MQM’s office was attacked on Thursday afternoon when women and youngsters surrounded it during the funeral.
“Shahid was being pressured to pay Rs40,000 as fitra,” said an official of Pakistan Bazaar police station. “When he refused to comply, a heated argument ensued and some gunshots were also fired.”
An eyewitness said: “This incident probably tested the patience of the residents. When you kill an innocent person, political inclinations don’t matter. You can’t see a son or brother being killed and not do anything about it.”
It was not the first incident of its kind. “We have seen how people who support a particular political party can turn against it if the activists turn rogue,” a senior police officer told The Express Tribune. “But the Orangi Town incident has amazed me as well.”
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