Senior Lawyer Gunned Down in Karachi DHA; Son Injured
Deadly Attack Outside Karachi Mosque Claims Life of Senior Lawyer
In a shocking incident Friday afternoon, renowned legal figure Senior Lawyer Khawaja Shamsul Islam was fatally shot outside a mosque in DHA Phase 6, Karachi. The shooting occurred shortly after funeral prayers concluded, according to DIG South Asad Raza. A lone assailant opened fire on Islam and his 25-year-old son, Khawaja Daniyal, before fleeing the scene. Both victims were rushed to a private Clifton hospital, where the senior lawyer succumbed to critical injuries.
Police Link Senior Lawyer Shooting to Past Legal Disputes and Retaliation Claims
Early investigations reveal a possible revenge angle, with connections to past legal tensions. In 2021, a murder case was filed in Boat Basin police station, in which Islam was unofficially accused but never formally charged due to lack of evidence. A 2024 attack in Zamzama also reportedly targeted Islam and was linked to individuals associated with a previous complainant. Law enforcement now believes these unresolved conflicts may have escalated into Friday’s deadly shooting.
Security Gaps Under Scrutiny After Fatal Shooting
Authorities confirmed that Islam had been assigned official police protection, yet his designated officer was reportedly outside the mosque at the time of the attack. The incident has prompted serious questions around security lapses and mosque safety. The mosque’s private security staff have been detained for interrogation. Police have also launched a full-scale manhunt, led by SSP South, to identify and capture the assailant involved in what’s being classified as a targeted hit.
Legal Community Mourns; Bar Association Calls for Court Boycott
Following the assassination, the Karachi Bar Association issued a strong condemnation, declaring a full boycott of court proceedings on August 2 (Saturday) to honor their fallen colleague. This attack comes months after a separate tragedy on the Mardan-Nowshera motorway, where both a civil judge and a lawyer were killed in an ambush. The incidents have raised alarms about the growing trend of violence against legal professionals in Pakistan.
Suspect Identified as Son of Ex-Police Guard, Motive Possibly Revenge-Driven
As the investigation into the tragic shooting of Senior Lawyer Khawaja Shamsul Islam intensifies, police have identified a key suspect believed to have a personal motive tied to past grievances. According to senior law enforcement officials, initial witness statements and background checks have led them to a man who is reportedly the son of a former police constable previously assigned to provide security for Islam. The suspect was allegedly heard by multiple individuals at the crime scene shouting that he had taken revenge for his father’s death — a revelation that has added a deeply personal and emotional layer to the case.
The origins of this vendetta trace back to 2021, when the suspect’s father was killed under disputed circumstances. Though an FIR was filed, there was not enough evidence to formally charge Islam, and the case was marked as “untraced.” However, the suspect’s family reportedly never accepted this conclusion, harboring resentment that may have now exploded into violence. In a chilling escalation, the same individual is believed to have led an earlier coordinated attack in 2024 on Islam in the Zamzama area, where the senior lawyer was assaulted with iron rods and weapons, further escalating tensions between both parties.
Police are now also reviewing CCTV footage, phone records, and digital communication that may link the suspect to premeditated planning. A special investigative unit has been formed to determine whether additional accomplices were involved and to explore if any organized network is backing the suspect. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that this could be part of a larger pattern of threats and violence against high-profile legal professionals in Karachi, as tensions between law, justice, and personal vendettas grow increasingly volatile.
