DAWN / NEWS International, Karachi 18 October 1998 Sunday 26 Jamadi-us-Saani 1419 KARACHI, Oct 17: The Chancellor of Hamdard University and former governor of Sindh, Hakim Mohammad Said, was shot dead along with his associate, Hakim Abdul Qadir Qureshi, at the doorstep of his clinic by unknown assailants on Saturday morning. Peon, Wali Mohammad, 60, died at the hospital. Hakim Said, 78, received three bullets; one in his chest, another below his jaw which went through through his skull and the third grazed his neck, according to medico-legal doctors at the Civil Hospital. Hakim Qadir Qureshi, 40, and peon Wali, 60, also received several bullets. Three others, including another Hakim, Manzoor Ali, were also hit by bullets. Hakim Said, 78, had left his house in Shikarpur Colony, behind Quaid's Mazar around at 5.45am in a white Honda Civic car. He was accompanied by a private guard and the driver. He reached his clinic situated at Arambagh at 6am. As he was shaking hands with Hakim Abdul Qadir Qureshi after he came out of his car outside the clinic he was fired upon. Another Hakim, Manzoor Ali, peon Wali Mohammad, the guard accompanying Hakim Said and another guard posted at the gate of the clinic also came under fire. Hakim Said and Hakim Qadir Qureshi were brought dead to hospital at 6.25am by Shahid Rafi, who claimed to be a member of peace committee of district south, according to the medico-legal record of the Civil Hospital. Peon who sustained bullet injuries in his chest died at the hospital, according to doctors at the hospital. The postmortem examination of the dead was completed by 7.30am before their bodies were removed from the hospital. The guard posted at the clinic, Maroof Khan Afridi, was admitted to hospital for bullet wounds in his buttocks. Hakim Manzoor Ali and guard Mohammad Siddique received minor injuries as their skins were grazed by bullets. The assailants continued firing from a moving vehicle with kalashnikovs for some time before they fled in that vehicle, according to police. Bullets, which damaged the rear windscreen of Hakim Said's car, also hit the walls of the Matab as a plate on the post was found damaged with the bullets. Police said after day-long inquiries it was still clueless as it had yet to establish the number of those involved in the attack and some other details about them. What it has so far concluded is that the assailants used a big Hilux Mazda vehicle bearing a fake number plate of local government. Besides, none of the injured, nor the neighbourhood people have volunteered any evidence or hint which could help in establishing the identity of the assailants. Police said the vehicle that was later found abandoned at Eleandor Road bore the bullet shot marks as the terrorists did not lower the window panes of the vehicle they were riding and they preferred to shoot Hakim Sahib and others from behind the panes. Two motorcyclists, according to police, had taken away that vehicle which belonged to a firm in March in Liaquatabad. According to police, it has seized some documents from that abandoned vehicle used in the assault by terrorists and it was hopeful that some breakthrough would be made in this respect soon. The DIG, Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, has constituted a team comprising SSP south Mohammad Ramzan Channa, SSP CIA Manzoor Mughal, SP anti-terrorist wing Abdul Sattar Detho, DSP CIA Ghulam Subhan, DSP Clifton Farooq Awan, DSP Arambagh Tariq Mughal, SHO Arambagh Mumtaz Husain to investigate the murder case of Hakim Said and others. An FIR with the Arambagh police station has been registered. The team has been asked by the DIG to submit to him a progress report on daily basis. "It is too early to say anything now," said the SSP police Mohammad Ramzan Channa at his office after he attended a meeting on Hakim Said's murder held under the chairmanship of DIG Mushtaq on Saturday evening. He said he could not say anything about the motive behind the killing of Hakim Said for the dead was a non-controversial and highly respected person. He said initial inquiries had shown that the assailants had used a big white vehicle. None of those, who included the guards, had said anything which could help police establish killers' identity. Maroof Khan Afridi, the guard who was admitted to Civil Hospital's surgical-V unit, said that he also did not know who had fired, and from where. "We were all outside the Matab to greet Hakim Sahib when the shooting began," the 35-year-old guard of Ghazi security agency said. "Everything happened in the blink of an eye," he said and added that first he thought that an electricity short circuit had taken place as it happened quite often in that street. He said soon after he was hit and he fell down and later when all the dead and injured were taken to hospital he himself managed to get a taxi and reach hospital around 7.30am. "I heard a sound of blast. It was 6.01am," said a neighbourhood person who, according to him, was comforting his ailing sister when the firing occurred. From his top-storey flat what he saw first was the body of peon Wali Mohammad lying in a pool of blood at the doorstep. As the firing still continued, he added, he went back deep into his house premises. "Soon after the firing came to an end, I again went to the window and saw Hakim Sahib along with Hakim Qadir lying in the street," the man, who requested anonymity said. He said he could not see who had fired on them as terror and panic gripped him and his entire family. He said it was Arambagh police mobile which came to the place first and was followed by more police force and senior officials. The area of the incident and the road leading to the Civil Hospital were cordoned off by the contingents of the law enforcement agencies. The traffic was diverted from Burns Road to M.A. Jinnah Road and the connected arteries, causing severe traffic jams. However, educational institutions in the vicinity such as Dow Medical College and DJ Science College functioned normally. The news of Hakim Said's murder spread like jungle fire as newspaper offices in the morning reverberated with phone calls confirming the news. "It's disaster for us," said a sobbing Sadia, daughter of Hakim Said at her residence which was visited in the evening by hundreds of people, including Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and federal ministers Khalid Anwar and Mushahid Husain. ---------------------------------- Cop gunned down, another injured KARACHI: A head constable was gunned down and another was injured in two different firing incidents on Saturday. Head Constable Muhammad Shakir Husain, 32, a guard of DSP Rafiq Mujhaid, posted in Karachi Range Security, was shot dead at Sector 11/A, Khawaja Ajmernagri police area. His body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed. An eyewitness said three armed men came in a red Suzuki Alto (V-3897) opened fire on Shakir while he was standing outside the DSP's residence and also took his official gun and fled. Muhammad Iqbal, 55, received bullet wounds when a stray bullet hit him in Nabi Bakhsh police limits. He was standing outside his residence. ---------------------------------- Two cops among four injured in shoot-out KARACHI: Four people, including two cops, were injured in a shootout with armed men in Kalakot on Saturday. Six armed men, riding a jeep (LS-4474) and two motorcycles, arrived at an under-construction building near Syed Mahmood Shah Road at Old Haji Camp in Kalakot. They, on a gun point, demanded of the owner of the building, Soomro, to pay them Bhatta but Soomro and his gunman Wazir Ali resisted them at which they opened fire and injured Wazir and one of his watchmen Ghulam Muhammad. The fire shots alarmed a mobile van of Kalakot police patrolling the area and it rushed to the place. Seeing the approaching police the armed men opened fire which left Head Constable Muhammad Farooq and Constable Asif injured. Police returned the fire but the armed men managed to escape abandoning their vehicle. The injured cops were rushed to Civil Hospital from where they were later shifted to the JPMC. Police claimed that one of the armed man was also injured in the exchange of fire but the accused carried him away while fleeing. Police named Abdul Rahman, Waheed Baloch, Ismail, Shakeel Baloch, Sohail Rub and their accomplices as involved in the shoot-out and were looking for them. ---------------------------------- PM, COAS discuss Karachi situation ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif here on Saturday to deliberate on the Karachi law and order situation, a senior government official told to The News. Attended by the prime minister's aides and Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, the meeting reportedly took an overall view of the Karachi problem, with reference to recent upsurge in lawlessness. The decisions were not immediately made public but soon after the meeting Chaudhary Nisar air-dashed to Karachi. ---------------------------------- Nisar admits govt's failure KARACHI: The government has formed an investigation team at the highest-level, headed by the DIG Karachi, to probe into the murder of President Hamdard Foundation and former Sindh governor Hakim Muhammad Said. Federal Minister for Provincial Coordination and Political Affairs Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who air dashed to Karachi on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after Said's murder, told newsmen at the Sindh CM House that a high-level probe committee had been constituted. Earlier, Nisar also presided over a law and order meeting in the city. He said that judicial commission at the High Court level would also be constituted to investigate the causes of the murder. He said that the investigation team had been asked to show some positive results within the next 48 hours. Nisar said that the government had also placed a reward of Rs 5 million for the person(s) providing solid information and evidence leading to the arrest of the culprits. Calling Hakim Said a symbol of Pakistan, Nisar said: "We must ponder on why the situation has assumed such an ugly proportion that measures for protection to personalities like Hakim Said are proving counter-productive." During the briefing, Nisar -- intentionally or otherwise -- admitted thrice the failure of the government in providing protection to dignitaries, and said that the government would not find an easy way out by putting the entire blame on 'some unseen foreign hands.' The minister said that the murder of Hakim Said was a message from the forces who did not want to see Karachi return back to normalcy. When asked why the government and its agencies despite indications could not provide protection to Hakim Said, Nisar admitted that it was a failure of the government and for those institutions, which were supposed to provide security to the life and property of the people. ---------------------------------- Citizens voice anger KARACHI: The news about murder of Hakim Muhammad Said, former Sindh governor, spread like wild fire in the city although the incident occurred early morning. The incident became talk of the town and every one was asking as to how and why it happened to a person as gentle and sincere as Hakim Said. A large number of office goers who heard the news on their way to work did not believe it and made frantic phone calls to Hamdard offices, Madinatal Hikmat and newspaper offices to verify the incident. Later when the incident was confirmed by various special newspaper supplements a large number of citizens were seen criticising the chief minister, IG Police, DIG, city commissioner and in particular the DG Rangers for failure to take concrete measures for curbing lawlessness. A bookstall owner Ismail said all of his supplements had sold like hot cakes. He was of the view that murder of Hakim Said was a national loss and there was no reason for provincial high ups to remain in their seats. They were morally bound to step down, he added angrily. Hamdard factory in Nazimabad wore a deserted look as a lone chowkidar was sitting at the main gate and all the staff and workers had gone to attend the funeral of Hakim Said. Tayab Khan, an engineer, condemning the murder, said the situation was horrifying in Karachi where murders were taking place in the presence of large number of LEAs. One question that was asked by almost every citizen was do the chief minster and all the elected representatives of this city have the moral courage to resign after this tragic murder. The panic-stricken citizens have demanded that now when the law enforcement agencies have failed to provide protection to the citizens erection of iron gates be allowed so that citizens may feel secure and could protect their life and property. ---------------------------------- Altaf shocked at Hakim Said's murder LONDON: The Chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Altaf Hussain has expressed deep shock and grief at the assassination of Hakim Said and termed his murder as a 'great tragedy'. In a fax message sent on Saturday, the MQM Chief said with the murder of Hakim Said, the country had been deprived of a renowned educationist, intellectual, social worker and a learned man in the field of medicine. "The murder of Hakim Said, specially at a time when the situation in the city is considerably improving, smacks of the intention of the vested interests to destabilise the present situation." In his condolence message to the bereaved family, Altaf said he was deeply shocked and his heart bled over this great tragedy. ---------------------------------- Man, daughter injured; 26 vehicles snatched KARACHI: Armed men injured a man and his daughter in Surjani Town on Saturday, looted cash and jewellery and snatched 14 cars and 12 motorcycles. Two armed men entered Ibrahim's house in Surjani Town and opened fire at Ibrahim and his daughter Perveen when they resisted them. Three armed men entered Danish Corp of M Aqeel in N-Nazimabad and took away Rs250,000. In other incidents Rs12,000 were looted in Gulbarg; Rs35,000 in Sharafi Goth; Suzuki (JT-2898) with medicines in Azizabad; cash and jewellery from Iqbal's house in Nabi Bakhsh; cash, jewellery from Zahid's house in Quaidabad; cash, jewellery from Irfan's house in Saudabad; cash and jewellery from Khursheed's house in PIB Colony; cash, jewellery from Ahmad's house in Soldier Bzr; Rs150,000 from Nafees in Tipu Sultan; cash, jewellery from Rahman's house in Sharifabad; cash, jewellery from Najma's house in New Karachi and cash and jewellery from Nasir's house in Khawaja Ajmernagri. ---------------------------------- Ajmal Khattak for Seraiki province MULTAN: President Awami National Party (ANP) Ajmal Khattak has not ruled out the possibility of ANP's alliance with the PPP, saying that negotiations in this regard were underway. Addressing a press conference here at the residence of Barrister Taj Muhammad Langah, Chief of Pakistan Seraiki Party, he said the ANP had changed its course from that of the PML when it realised that Nawaz wanted to dismember the country. He favoured the constitution of Seraiki province to end the sense of deprivation and exploitation. ---------------------------------- Govt using Dr Qadeer: Ghafoor MULTAN: Naib Ameer Jamaat-i-Islami, Professor Ghafoor Ahmed alleged that the government was using Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan to pave the way for signing the CTBT. He advised Dr Qadeer not to indulge in political issues. Addressing the members of District Bar Association Multan on Saturday, Ghafoor said that the government had enough powers to enforce Islamic rule in the country and there was no need of getting the approval from the Senate in this regard. He said that the proposal of National Security Council given by General Jahangir Karamat was a reality which could not be denied. "The recent reshuffle in the army has harmed its prestige," Ghafoor said. He criticised President Rafiq Tarar for commenting on the Shariat Bill before its approval from the parliament. ---------------------------------- Khateeb of capital's mosque shot dead ISLAMABAD Oct 17: Some unidentified assassins on Saturday shot dead Maulana Mohammad Abdullah, khateeb of federal capital's Lal Masjid, and chairman of central Ruet-e-Hilal committee. Witnesses said three terrorists came to the mosque near Aabpara in two Toyota Corolla cars and started firing at Maulana Abdullah who was about to enter his home adjacent to the mosque. He was rushed to the nearby Polyclinic hospital but he succumbed to his injuries. Maulana Abdullah was a leading religious scholar having close ties with Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan. He was also part of the five-member committee formed by the government to forge sectarian harmony among different sects. He had recently established top level contacts with the SSP leaders for this purpose. As soon as the news spread, the SSP activists immediately gathered in the area and pelted stones at vehicles and blocked the road. Heavy police contingent were rushed to the site but the son of late Abdullah talked the angry crowd to remain calm directing them not to indulge in violence. The Islamabad administration has been put on red alert following Abdullah's murder as the enraged SSP activists are pouring in and around the mosque. ---------------------------------- Imran Khan and Jemima's marriage 'on the rocks' LONDON: The three-year-old marriage of Imran Khan and Jemima, the daughter of late Franco-British tycoon Sir James Goldsmith, is in danger of breaking down, it was reported on Saturday. Jemima, who is four months' pregnant, spent Friday in London with her two-year-old son Sulaiman, while her husband reportedly flew to the United States. The rift is believed to centre on the cultural differences between the former Pakistan cricket captain and his 24-year-old wife. Imran, 45, who is now involved in politics in Pakistan, was unhappy that Jemima was attending parties in London without him, several British tabloid newspapers reported. And Jemima was said to be upset at Imran's planned trip to Los Angeles to raise money for his cancer hospital in Lahore, asking him to stay in London to discuss their marital problems. But he reportedly left their home in Richmond, West London, to fly to the United States on Friday, without saying when he would return. A friend told the Daily Mail: "It has been building up for a long time. Jemima is very young and continues to have difficulty adjusting to life in Lahore. She still considers London her home and Imran is struggling to accept that." As well as converting to Islam, Jemima, who was a friend of Diana, Princess of Wales, learnt Urdu and lived at Imran's family home in Lahore. Within a year she gave birth to Sulaiman, while Imran became increasingly involved in politics with his Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI). Just two days ago, the couple were together in London at a party with Camilla Parker Bowles, the girlfriend of Prince Charles. ----------------------------------