Celebrations on New Year’s eve in Karachi took a near-fatal turn when at least 37 people, including two infants and four females, were injured in incidents of aerial firing.
The casualties were confirmed by local police, hospital, and rescue officials yesterday.
The injured were reportedly taken from Saddar, Garden, Osmanabad Panjwani Plaza, Lighthouse, Raja Mansion, Hussainabad, Board Office in Nazaimabad, and a number of other districts, and shifted to three hospitals.
Among the casualties were Shahmir (20), son of Khursheed Alam, from KDA Chowrangi in North Nazimabad; Naveed (22), son of Sher Hussain, from Hussainabad, Bedal (36), son of Shah, from Naya Golimar in Nazimabad; and Adeel (35), son of Nisar, from Liaquatabad No. 4.
According to hospital sources, eight injured were taken to the Civil Hospital, four were sent to Jinnah Hospital, and 10 people, including women and children, were transferred to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment.
The spokesperson said the police immediately arrested 34 suspects for aerial firing, and cases under attempted murder and other charges were lodged against them at different police stations. Additionally, more than 10 suspects were apprehended in the city within six hours of the shootings.
City Senior Superintendent of Police, Shabbir Ahmed Sethar, revealed that two policemen were also arrested in this regard.
People had reportedly swarmed to the streets and roadways to welcome the new year and had flocked to Five Star Chowrangi. Even the Governor of Sindh, Kamran Tessori, had come to Numaish Chowrangi, where a big crowd had assembled to watch fireworks.
Note that the Government of Sindh had banned the “carrying/display of arms, aerial firing, firecrackers” under section 144 of the Criminal Code of Procedure.
