Two young men sustained gunshot wounds late Tuesday night after police personnel opened fire on a motorcycle in Karachi’s Korangi area. The incident triggered immediate outrage, with local residents gathering at the scene to protest what they described as an unprovoked escalation of force.
The victims, identified as 20-year-old Hamza and 19-year-old Shahzeb, were riding a motorcycle near the Bilal Colony crossing when a patrol team signaled them to stop. According to witnesses, the youths did not immediately halt, prompting the officers to discharge their weapons. Both men were struck by bullets and rushed to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Hospital staff confirmed the pair is currently under treatment, with both listed in stable condition.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Korangi stated that an internal inquiry is now underway to determine whether the use of force was justified or a violation of standard operating procedures. The two officers involved in the shooting have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
This event marks another flashpoint in a long-standing tension between Karachi residents and police patrol units. Critics have long argued that the “stop and search” tactics employed by officers on patrol are often heavy-handed and frequently escalate into unnecessary violence. For residents in the area, the incident is a grim reminder of the risks associated with routine police encounters.
Families of the injured have demanded that the officers be held accountable under criminal law rather than mere departmental suspension. As the investigation progresses, the local community remains on edge, waiting to see if the promised inquiry will result in tangible consequences or simply fade into the city’s cycle of unresolved police misconduct.
