Senior Saudi Consulate official shot dead in Karachi

Pakistan

Senior Saudi Consulate official shot dead in Karachi

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A senior Saudi Consulate official was killed when his vehicle was fired upon in Karachi on Monday.

16 May,2011 09:44 am

According to a Dunya News report, unidentified motorcyclists fired on the vehicle of the Saudi Consulate in Defence area of Karachi, killing a senior Saudi official. The victim, Hassan Al Qahtani, was alone in the vehicle at the time of attack, police said.The shooting came just days after crackers were tossed at the consulate building, exploding but not hurting anyone. According to a police official, Tariq Dhareji, the shooting occurred in Khayaban-e-Shahbaz, a heavily protected area of Defence, where the consulate is located.According to sources, Al Qahtani was senior diplomat at the consulate.The driver was perhaps going to the consulate from his residence when two motorcyclists showered the car with bullets, another police official, Zameer Hussain Abbasi, said. He said the gunmen assaulted official from two sides and fled. The motive behind the killing was not clear, and there have been no claims of responsibility from any group so far.Police have cordoned off the area and investigating the case.Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik has taken notice of the killing of the Saudi officials and called a report. He said that a stern action would be taken against the miscreants responsible for the killing and ordered the police to arrest them.Separately, Senator Saleem Saifullah has condemned the target killing of the Saudi Consulate official in Karachi.