A 21-year-old man was wounded in an alleged police shooting in Karachi’s Nazimabad No 3 area, and his family is rejecting the police claim that he was hit by suspects during an encounter. The family says the officers opened fire first and is calling for accountability.
Shuraim Khalid was on his way with his cousin, Muhammad Tayyab, to pick up a motorcycle part when police personnel allegedly fired on them, according to relatives.
Family says police fired without warning in Nazimabad
Tayyab said the officers did not signal or order the pair to halt before firing three shots from behind. “They came from behind and fired straight shots — three rounds in total,” he said. He added that one bullet passed close to his feet, while another hit Shuraim in the lower back.
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The family said the same police personnel took the injured youth to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. He was later moved to Jinnah Hospital for further treatment.
Mother and son appeal for justice and cooperation
Shuraim’s mother said her son is the family’s sole earner and was due to get married. She asked whether the officers would accept a life in exchange for a life had he died, and said she wanted justice. She also demanded that the officers who took him to Abbasi appear before her.
In a video statement from hospital, Shuraim asked police authorities to cooperate over his treatment. “Due to a police officer’s mistake, I am stuck here,” he said, adding that a private hospital was demanding at least Rs200,000 just for admission.
Police say suspects opened fire during encounter
Police maintained that the incident happened during an encounter with suspects. According to the FIR registered at Nazimabad police station on the complaint of Constable Shehraz, patrolling officers signalled suspicious motorcyclists to stop. The suspects allegedly opened fire, prompting retaliatory shots, and police said Shuraim was struck by the suspects’ gunfire rather than by the personnel.
The Crime Scene Unit recovered nine 9mm and thirty .30-bore bullet casings from the scene. Further investigation into the incident is underway.
