Senior Lawyer Killed in Targeted Attack in Karachi

In Karachi’s DHA Phase VI vicinity, a well-known lawyer named Khawaja Shamsul Islam was fatally shot, and his son was wounded during a deliberate assault on Friday.

Law enforcement sources indicate that the attorney and his son were departing from a mosque, having just participated in funeral prayers, when a masked individual, clad in shalwar kameez, discharged a firearm at them. The perpetrator swiftly escaped the location on a motorcycle following the act.

Islam sustained a gunshot to his midsection, while his son was hit in the back. Both individuals were immediately transported to a nearby medical facility; however, the lawyer could not survive his injuries.

Witness accounts provided to the authorities detailed that the assailant had concealed their identity. The police have retrieved two shell casings and an unfired bullet from the scene, which are now undergoing forensic examination.

DIG South Asad Raza mentioned that initial investigations hint at the possibility of the shooting arising from a disagreement; however, a complete investigation is still underway.

Law enforcement authorities later recognized the suspected individual as Imran Khan Afridi, who allegedly previously served as Islam’s armed guard.

Islam was recognized for his proficiency in civil law and had advocated for clients in excess of 500 cases. He was actively engaged in court cases pertaining to prime real estate holdings throughout Karachi, valued at billions of rupees.

He also served as legal counsel in a notable dispute concerning the proposed transformation of Fatima Jinnah’s home, Qasr-e-Naz, into a housing complex for girls and a dentistry school.

This incident marks the second attempt on his life. Back in November of 2024, he survived a similar assassination plot, sustaining a gunshot wound to his hand.

In response to the incident, the Karachi Bar Association has declared a suspension of court activities for Saturday. The association has described the lawyer’s demise as a “brutal” act, highlighting that he was attacked during the Friday prayer session.

Likewise, the Sindh High Court Bar Association voiced strong disapproval of the killing and has urged the prompt apprehension of those implicated.

Sindh’s Chief Minister, Murad Ali Shah, conveyed his distress concerning the murder of Advocate Islam. According to an official statement, the provincial leader expressed his sympathies to the family and mandated that law enforcement agencies promptly launch an investigation into the matter.

CM Shah has also instructed authorities to guarantee that those responsible are swiftly brought before the judicial system.