A security guard was shot dead by motorcyclists at an under-construction shopping mall in Malir City with police suspecting that the killing was linked to an extortion attempt. The incident took place during the night between Thursday and Friday at the under-construction Memon Shopping Mall in Malir-15, within the jurisdiction of the Malir City police station.
The victim was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead. Police identified the deceased as 25-year-old Ali Raza, son of Nisar. He was employed by a private security company and had been deployed at the shopping mall for the last around two-and-a-half months.
Police said the mall owners had received an extortion note several months ago allegedly from Lyari gang-war commander Abdul Samad Kathiawari. When the owners did not contact the mobile phone number mentioned in the extortion note, the suspects allegedly opened fire on the shopping mall. No one was injured in that incident.
A few days later, police killed three suspected gang members in an alleged encounter in Malir and claimed that they were involved in the firing at the under-construction shopping mall. Police said the latest attack appeared to have been carried out after reconnaissance and suspected that associates of Kathiawari could be involved in the crime.
CCTV footage of the latest incident has also emerged showing the deceased security guard sitting on a chair outside the shopping mall with a colleague when two armed men arrived on a motorcycle. One of the suspects got off the motorcycle and opened fire on Raza before fleeing.
Two other security guards were deployed on the upper floor of the shopping mall. They attempted to fire at the attackers with their weapons, but a bullet reportedly got stuck in the chamber, allowing the suspects to escape. Raza hailed from Nawabshah. He was unmarried and the second among three brothers.
