DAWN/The News International, KARACHI 12 September 2004, Sunday, 26 Rajab 1425
www.karachipage.com (click on underlined key-words/dates to get more details)
2 murdered; 6 die in accidents
Robber killed in encounter
Rockets fired at FC post, MMA protests US military presence at Shahbaz airbase
Clashes continue in South Waziristan
Salman Hamdani: a story of heroism
2 murdered; 6 die in accidents

KARACHI: Three persons were murdered, while six lost their lives in separate mishaps on Saturday, police said.

Faisal, 19, a resident of Korangi No 2 1/2 was shot dead when he resisted in a mobile phone snatching bid in Zaman Town.

Rasheed, 44, resident of Pathan Colony was axed to death by his real brother Khuwaja Saeed over some family dispute in SITE police jurisdiction.

Haseeb, 25, resident of Nusrat Bhutto Colony was shot dead in Samanabad police precinct.

ACCIDENTS: Noor, 27, resident of Korangi No 6 was crushed to death by a recklessly driven coach that his motorcycle near 89-Chawal Godam Landhi within Quaidabad police jurisdiction.

Ramzan, 40, resident of Bhains Colony was crushed by a truck Afzal was crushed to death when a carelessly driven vehicle knocked him in Korangi while he was crossing the road.

Smashed body of a 40-year-old man was found from Dumba Goth, Super Highway.

Police shifted the body to the Abbasi Shaheed and later placed it in Edhi morgue.

Najam Mumtaz, 20, was killed and Waheed Abbas, 22, injured seriously when a trailer hit the motorcycle they were riding near Bin Qasim Moor.

PRISONER EXPIRES: Dost Muhammad, 55, a prisoner, who was brought to the Civil Hospital from Central Jail for treatment breathed his last.

INJURED: Talha Iqbal, 11, resident of Shah Faisal Colony sustained bullet injuries at a wedding ceremony in Sakhi Hassan.

A 12-year-old unidentified boy sustained serious injuries after being hit by a locomotive near Drigh Road station. He was rushed to the JPMC in critical condition.

ARRESTS: The Anti-Car Lifting Cell has arrested five carjackers and recovered four cars and two motorcycles from their possession.

Meanwhile, police arrested 20 accused and recovered nine pistols, narcotics and other stolen goods from them.

ROBBERIES: Bandits barged into the house of Uzma in Sachal area and looted cash, jewellery and other valuables.

Asghar was deprived of Rs0.18 million, prize bonds and a licensed pistol by four dacoits in Sukhan area.

Adnan Riaz and Amjad Ali were deprived of their cash, mobile phones and other valuables when highwaymen intercepted them in Preedy and Gulbahar police precincts respectively.

>Robber killed in encounter

KARACHI: A robber was killed and two other robbers including an injured one were arrested in two separate encounters on Saturday evening.

Two persons riding on a motorcycle came to a shoe shop in New Karachi police precinct and when they were looting cashier Abdul Lateef, area people informed the Madadgar-15.

The robbers started firing on seeing the police. Police retaliated injuring one of the fleeing robbers, while police overpowered his accomplice.

The injured robber was rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. The arrested robber was identified as Zahid and his deceased accomplice as Kamran Ansari, 22. Police claimed to have recovered two TT pistols and a motorcycle from their possession.

The Shershah police arrested an injured dacoit after an exchange of fire, who was fleeing after snatching cash from a cashier of a petrol pump in Gulbai.

Athar Rasheed Butt, the Town Police Officer (TPO) Keamari said that two policemen who were patrolling in their jurisdiction chased the robbers and after an exchange of fire nabbed an injured robber while his accomplice managed to escape. The arrested and injured robber were brought to the hospital, where he was identified as Iqbal Rasheed, who yielded looted cash and a TT pistol.

Rockets fired at FC post, MMA protests US military presence at Shahbaz airbase

>JACOBABAD: Activists of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal took out a big rally to protest the presence of the US military at the Shahbaz airbase of Jacobabad on Saturday. The rally started from Madressah Qasimul Uloom and after passing various roads of the city reached at main DCO Chowk, where the participants staged a sit-in for about one hour, causing suspension of the traffic. The participants of the rally were carrying placards and banners inscribed with anti-America slogans. Heavy contingents of police and rangers were deployed around the Shahbaz airbase to avert any untoward incident. Addressing the rally, MMA leaders Hafiz Mir Mohd Bhanglani, Dr AG Ansari, Mumtaz Hussain Saheto and others said after the Sept 11 incident, the US and its allies had made the lives of Muslims miserable. They demanded immediate end to raids on Madressahs and arrest of clerics in the country.

Several rockets were fired at the FC checkpoint in district Jaffarabad of Balochistan on Saturday morning. Reports said that unknown assailants attacked the Charli checkpoint of FC with rockets and destroyed the wall. Later, the FC men returned the fire, forcing the assailants to flee.

Clashes continue in South Waziristan

PESHAWAR: Tribal militants have blocked the main supply route linking South Waziristan with North Waziristan Agency amid negotiations and reports of killing of six more militants, burning of a check post and protest demonstrations against the ongoing operations in the tribal region.

About 1,500 tribal militants, eyewitnesses said, have taken control of the main supply road in Makin area of the agency to cut off road link between Ladah and Razmak, wherein heavy contingents of the Armed Forces stationed at Razmak were reportedly preparing to open the road.

Meanwhile, Col Hameed Iqbal Khattak and an assistant political agency Wana, held several rounds of talks with the tribal jirgas to inform them that the government would move to open the road if the militants do not do it themselves.

Keeping in view the tense situation hundreds of shopkeepers have either shifted their belongings to safer places or have locked their shops at Makin Serai. A delegation of political authorities, officials of South Waziristan Scouts Force and local tribal elders are in Makin to hold dialogue with the militants to persuade them to open the road. However, the talks between the two parties had not made any headway till last reports and the militants were reluctant to open the road.

As a result of clashes between the night of Friday and Saturday, in which both sides used heavy arms, six militants were reportedly killed and one injured in Karvan Manza and Sarvakai areas of the agency. Three of the killed and injured persons have been identified as Minhajuddin, Shah Sawar Khan and Qaimat Khan while names of the four dead could not be ascertained. The two sides are fighting for control of the mountain peaks to have a strategic gain. The armed forces are in control of a portion of the top peak while the militants, eyewitnesses said, were in control of the southern and northern parts called Taghikai-Narai and Malik Milasar.

Some miscreants, official sources confirmed, burnt down a check post of the Political administration in Spinkai Raghzai and said that no official of the administration or personnel of the Khasadar Force were present at the time it was damaged. Tribal sources said the local population has started moving out of the area for fear of fresh clashes and several villages, including Karama, Lalizai, Abdal Wadaney, Shankai, Deley Khunkhela, Bromikhel, Moshai, Shmerai, Faridai, Ghaley Pangey, Kandirai, have become deserted.

NNI adds: Two children were killed in heavy artillery clash between security forces and militants at Karwan Manja, South Waziristan on Saturday.

According to details minor victims Minhagudin and Mausa came in the firing range when the two sides were firing rockets on each other.

Salman Hamdani: a story of heroism

KARACHI: The third anniversary of Muhammad Salman Hamdani, declared a hero in the US, who scarified his life, while he was serving humanity when people were running for their lives from the site of World Trade Centre New York, was observed in New York, Karachi, and Dubai, on Saturday.

Fateha and Qul were held at the residences of Anees Hamdani, uncle of Salman Hamdani, and his brothers and sisters in Karachi.

Anees Hamdani, a Karachi-based senior photo-journalist and uncle of Salman Hamdani, while talking to the News at the Karachi Press club said, "My brother Saleem Hamdani had proceeded to America at about 25 years ago when Salman was just eight or nine months old."

When the WTC was attacked, Salman was on his way home, but the moment he got news of the WTC bombing, he rushed to the site of the disaster to help in the relief efforts.

After September 11, Salman disappeared, but it was not clear as to whether he had been martyred or nabbed by the US authorities, since hundreds of Muslims had been captured and Salman’s family feared that he might had been one of those arrested, he said.

However, things assumed a totally different turn when Salman’s identity card was found from the rubble of WTC after six months and he was declared a hero.

After confirmation of Salman’s heroic deeds, his funeral prayers were offered at the Islamic Research Centre’s mosque, where a contingent of 1,000 police officers presented the departed hero a salute of honour, he said.

Salman Hamdani, had been a police cadet working with the Housing Bureau, was declared missing till the heart-breaking discovery of his identity card next to his remains six months later.

A New York paper, "Newsday" had published a story on October 13, 2001, in which it had mentioned that his friends and colleagues were of the view that, "Mohammad Salman was a helpful man, and most likely headed for the Twin Towers to try to help, they can’t understand why police believe he may not have died in the collapse and instead may be in hiding."

"We don’t know how many people he helped, how many lives he saved," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly had told several hundred mourners at the Islamic Cultural Centre of New York, where he spoke shortly after Salman’s funeral. "But if you look at his life, you know he was determined to make a difference, and he did. He indeed was a hero."

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