At least 28 people, including six women and two young girls, were injured as a result of aerial firing on New Year’s Eve in different parts of Karachi, hospital and rescue officials said.

 

According to officials, the injured were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Civil Hospital Karachi and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment.

 

The injured women and girls were identified as eight-year-old Fareeha near Safora, 11-year-old Mah Jabeen in Korangi’s Area Market, 18-year-old Wajiha in Mahmoodabad No. 5 and 40-year-old Aleena in Qayyumabad's D Area.

 

Other victims included 55-year-old Shameem Umar in Gulzar-e-Hijri Scheme 33, 53-year-old Meraj Bano in Lines Area, 24-year-old Ajwa near Chandni Chowk in Azam Basti and 35-year-old Drees Shafiq in Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 2.

 

Reports said that one Mukhtiar also suffered injuries in Chanesar Goth while 33-year-old Nabeel received gunshot wounds in Golimar.

 

Stray bullets also hit 40-year-old Naik Muhammad near New Sabzi Mandi and 20-year-old Ahmed sustained injuries in Korangi No. 5.

 

In Pak Colony, 30-year-old Muhammad Aslam was injured in aerial firing. In Azam Basti, 35-year-old Khaliq Masih received injuries. Near Five Star Chowrangi, 16-year-old Kaasham Kumar was struck by a bullet while 65-year-old Zaheer sustained injuries at Johar Mor.

 

In Liaquatabad near Sindhi Hotel, 18-year-old Faizan suffered bullet injuries while 40-year-old Jan Bahadur was injured in Lea Market. Stray bullets also hit 35-year-old Safdar Shah near Kala Pul and 25-year-old Azmat Ali received injuries in Musa Colony, Gulberg.

 

Other victims were identified as 26-year-old Mubeen near Jona Mosque in Lyari, 18-year-old Hassan in Korangi No. 4, 40-year-old Aasim in Mauripur, Salamat Masih in Manzoor Colony and Shehzad on Kashmir Road.

 

As many as 56 suspects have so far been arrested from different parts of the port city.