A worshipper was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside a mosque in North Karachi only early Friday morning in what police suspect to be a targeted killing.
The incident occurred in Sector 5C-1 within the limits of the Khawaja Ajmer Nagri police station, where armed motorcyclists opened fire on a man at the entrance of Farooq-e-Azam Masjid shortly after Fajr prayers.
The victim, identified as 32-year-old Rehan, son of Ghulam Nabi, sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. His body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Police said the deceased was a resident of the same locality near Rehmania Morr. Initial investigations suggest that the killing appears to be targeted in nature.
According to investigators, Rehan had married around six months ago. Reports indicate that he had married a woman he had known since childhood, who was previously married and had a 12-year-old son before her divorce.
Police said the victim was leaving the mosque after offering Fajr prayers when the attackers, who were allegedly lying in wait, opened fire and fled the scene. Investigators are probing all possible motives, including the suspected involvement of the woman’s former husband; however, no arrests have been made so far.
Meanwhile, crime statistics highlight ongoing security concerns in the city. According to a report by the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee, more than 14,000 crime incidents were reported in Karachi during the first quarter of 2026, with 134 people killed.
The report further reveals that 478 cars and 10,154 motorcycles were either stolen or snatched, causing losses worth millions of rupees. Additionally, 3,943 mobile phones were snatched in street crimes, while 52 cases of extortion were reported during the same period
