Couple shot dead in Karachi's Malir attack

A newly married couple was shot dead after gunmen opened fire on their car in Karachi's Malir area, police said. The pair had just appeared in court in connection with a case filed by the woman's father.

KARACHI: A newly married couple was shot dead on Monday when gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on their moving car near Saudabad RCD Ground in Malir, police said.

According to police, 20-year-old Nadia and 26-year-old Najeebullah were travelling in the back seat of a rented vehicle and were on their way to Hyderabad after appearing before a court in Malir. The court appearance was linked to a kidnapping case earlier registered by the woman's father.

Police said the couple had recently married by choice and had recorded statements under Section 164 in connection with the earlier FIR lodged at Sachal police station. Investigators said the woman's father had filed the case after she went missing from home in May, alleging that she had been abducted under relevant legal provisions.

CCTV footage of the attack has surfaced, showing a motorcyclist approaching the vehicle and firing several shots from close range before escaping. Police said both victims were hit in the head and died at the scene. Police Surgeon Dr Sumaiyya Syed said the husband, 26, and wife, 20, had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and were brought dead to hospital.

Saudabad police and Crime Scene Unit personnel reached the site after the shooting and collected evidence. The bodies were shifted to Jinnah Hospital through a Chhipa ambulance.

Officials said a man identified as Javed Ali, described as a relative of the deceased husband, was also in the car at the time of the attack and fled after the firing. The driver of the rented vehicle has been identified and is being questioned.

Korangi SSP Fida Hussain Janwari said the woman belonged to Dadu district and had married against her family's wishes, leading to an ongoing dispute between the two families. He said the couple was returning from court when assailants who had been chasing their car opened fire in the Saudabad area.

According to SSP Janwari, the woman had told the Malir court that she had married of her own free will. He also said the suspected attackers had been identified as the woman's relatives and that efforts were under way to arrest them. Investigators said initial findings pointed to continuing family tensions over the marriage.