Pakistan: Hindu doctor shot dead in Karachi, second targeted killing in a month

This is the second targeted attack on a Hindu doctor. The first one took place less than a month ago when the doctor’s driver slit his throat.

Pakistan: A Hindu doctor was shot dead while returning home from his clinic in Pakistan’s Karachi on Thursday. According to local media, Dr Birbal Genani the senior director of health and eye specialist of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) was shot dead by unknown assailants. 

According to the police, Dr Birbal Genani and his assistant lady doctor were travelling to Gulshan-e-Iqbal from Ramswamy when unidentified men targeted their car near Garden interchange on the Lyari Expressway. Dr Genani died on the spot while his assistant lady doctor sustained bullet injuries.

After receiving information regarding the incident, the police and the rescue officials reached the site and took the body and the injured to the hospital, as per the Geo News report. The CCTV footage of the incident shows Dr Genani’s car moving uncontrollably and smashing into a wall. Speaking to reporters, SSP City Arif Aziz called Dr Genani’s murder a ‘target killing.’ Arif Aziz further said that the exact reason behind the murder is not known yet. 

The lady doctor who worked with Dr Genani was in the vehicle when the unidentified assailants attacked the vehicle. Citing the injured woman, the police officer said, “Firing started suddenly and I could not understand anything.” He said that there was only one bullet mark on the vehicle, as per the Geo News report. The police officer said that they are recording the lady doctor’s statement.

The police officer said that they have started an investigation into the murder. Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori sought a report regarding the incident from the additional inspector general of Karachi police. He expressed sorrow over the murder of the eye specialist.

Hindu doctor’s throat slit 

It is to be noted that this is the second such attack on a Hindu doctor in Pakistan in recent weeks. Earlier this month, a doctor hailing from Pakistan’s Hyderabad was killed by his driver inside his house.

Local police told Pakistani news outlet The Nation that the driver slit Dharam Dev Raathi’s throat with a knife. As per media reports, the police arrested the driver from his home in Khairpur and identified him.

Hindu shopkeepers thrashed in Pakistan

Last week, Hindu shopkeepers were assaulted in Pakistan for allegedly ‘violating the Ramzan Ordinance’ by eating, Pakistan based The Express Tribune newspaper reported. The police officer in a video that went viral on social media, was seen roaming the Ghotki district with a stick in his hands. The police officer thrashed Hindu restaurant owners including Hindu men who were reportedly preparing biryani for delivery orders in the local market.

“I swear that I belong to the Hindu community, and he is taking away food. We do not run the dining service indoors during Ramzan,” a man who was arrested by the police said, according to The Express Tribune. The SHO, however, publicly forced the Hindu restaurant owner to take an oath on his sacred book, as per the news report. He tortured, harassed, manhandled, and arrested more than one dozen people including Hindu shopkeepers after physically assaulting them.