Karachi Doctor Killed Inside His Clinic
A Karachi doctor was gunned down inside his clinic in Gulshan-i-Maymar on Friday evening, Dawn reported.
Unknown assailants entered the clinic of 50-year-old Dr Kashif Agha near Nawaz Sharif Park, fired multiple shots at him and fled. He sustained critical bullet wounds and was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
The doctor was examining patients in the outpatient department when two armed men walked into the medical centre and opened fire inside his room, according to police accounts carried by other outlets. The attackers escaped before police could reach the scene.
A police spokesperson attributed the murder to personal enmity and said further investigations were under way. The Senior Superintendent of Police for District West said the incident appeared to be the result of a personal enmity, while an investigation was under way to determine the motive.
Home minister seeks report
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar took notice of the doctor’s murder and sought a detailed report from the West SSP. He directed the police to ensure the immediate arrest of those responsible.
Police have launched a search operation to trace the two suspects and determine the circumstances of the shooting. No arrests had been reported by the time the reports were filed.
The killing took place in Sector X-2 of Gulshan-i-Maymar, a residential area in the city’s west district. The clinic, also described as the Agha Hospital medical centre, sits near Nawaz Sharif Park.
Another Karachi doctor killed in July
The attack follows the killing of another Karachi doctor earlier this year. Dr Akash Kumar, 28, a house officer at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, was shot dead on July 13 during a robbery near Teen Talwar in Clifton. Robbers on two motorcycles intercepted his car as he headed to a second bank with his father and cousin after withdrawing cash, and fled with around Rs2 million.
Three suspects, Suresh, Ram Chand and Anil, were arrested within days, and a Karachi court granted police a seven-day physical remand. A case was registered at Frere Hall Police Station, and the Sindh home minister said at the time that he would personally oversee the investigation. The killing sparked protests by doctors at JPMC, and the Pakistan Medical Association condemned it as evidence of the deteriorating law and order situation in the city.
The two cases are different. Police link Dr Kashif’s killing to personal enmity, while Dr Aakash died in a robbery. But together they have raised fresh concern about the safety of medical professionals in the city, including those working in clinics and hospitals late into the evening.
Doctors’ groups have long asked for better security at health facilities, where staff work long hours and often leave late at night. Friday’s attack, carried out inside a consulting room while patients waited, will add weight to those demands.
Karachi has seen other violent crime this week, with a woman found dead and two young daughters still missing in the Keenjhar area. Two brothers were shot dead at Gulbai Chowrangi in an earlier case.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the doctor killed in Karachi?
Dr Kashif Agha, 50, was gunned down inside his clinic in Gulshan-i-Maymar, Karachi, on Friday evening.
What happened at the clinic?
Unknown assailants entered the clinic near Nawaz Sharif Park, fired multiple shots at the doctor while he was examining patients in the outpatient department, and fled. He was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
What do police say about the motive?
A police spokesperson attributed the murder to personal enmity. The SSP West said the incident appeared to be the result of a personal enmity, while an investigation was under way to determine the motive.
Has anyone been arrested?
No arrests had been reported. Police have launched a search operation to trace the two suspects, and the Sindh home minister has sought a detailed report from the West SSP.
