Police have identified the shooter in the killing of senior lawyer Khawaja Shamsul Islam, who was shot dead on Friday in a targeted attack outside a mosque in Karachi’s Defence Phase 6 area.
According to police, the suspect has been identified as Imran Afridi, the son of the deceased lawyer’s former gunman.
The incident occurred as Khawaja Shamsul Islam exited a mosque on Khayaban-e-Rahat after offering prayers. Armed assailants lying in wait opened fire, fatally injuring him and wounding two others.
DIG South confirmed the suspect’s identity, stating that Imran Afridi had previously attacked Shamsul Islam and accused him of orchestrating his father’s murder. Police said the suspect fired three shots, and despite being rushed to a private hospital, the lawyer succumbed to his injuries. He had been returning from a funeral prayer following Friday prayers.
CCTV footage from the mosque compound shows the assailant, wearing a face mask, opening fire on the lawyer. Police have obtained three separate CCTV recordings, which clearly capture the suspect’s face. Another person seen in the footage is believed to have assisted the shooter.
A police operation is underway to arrest the accused. Checkpoints have been established at various city exit routes, and the suspect’s photo and details have been circulated across police posts.
It should be noted that Khawaja Shamsul Islam was previously booked in a murder case related to the death of Zulfiqar Ali,
Zulfiqar Ali was killed by unidentified assailants near Ibrahim Masjid in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Phase IV in 2019.
Shamsul Islam had survived an earlier attack last year, in which he sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder.
