KARACHI – Karachi Police have arrested 31 suspects in operations carried out in different areas of the city against those involved in indiscriminate aerial firing on the occasion of Independence Day.
According to police, the weapons used in the firing have also been recovered from the possession of the arrested suspects. The arrests were made from Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Sachal, Nazimabad, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Site Super Highway, Korangi, Gulbahar, Rizvia and other areas.
The arrests come in the wake of widespread aerial firing incidents reported during celebrations on the night between August 13 and 14, a reckless practice that has become a persistent menace in Pakistan on occasions such as New Year’s Eve and Independence Day.
As reported earlier, at least one woman was killed and dozens of others, including women and children, were injured by bullets coming from unknown directions as celebratory firing erupted in Lyari, Saddar, Korangi, Malir, Azizabad, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Gulbahar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Orangi Town, Jamshed Quarter and Defence, among other localities.
The injured were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment. While initial rescue reports had put the number of injured at 85, police on Thursday said that about 100 people were injured in the firing incidents across the city.
Among those arrested earlier was a security guard from Gulshan-e-Iqbal who was caught along with weapons.
In a separate but related incident in Paposh Nagar, a woman died after being accidentally shot inside a hotel when a pistol being placed on a table went off, according to police. Her cousin, identified as Imran, was arrested.
Police officials said that action against elements involved in aerial firing will be further intensified and cases have been registered against the arrested suspects.
