QUETTA: Unknown gunmen shot dead a prominent businessman and hotel owner in Quetta early on Saturday, police said.
The victim, Muhammad Hashim Norzai, was killed in an attack on Laili Road near Kuchlak Bypass, within the jurisdiction of Kuchlak Police Station.
According to police, Norzai, a resident of Wazirabad, Kuchlak, was driving from his home to the city in his private vehicle when three to four unidentified assailants riding motorcycles opened indiscriminate fire on his car.
According to police, the incident occurred early Saturday morning in the jurisdiction of Airport police station near the Usmania Hotel Kachlak Bypass.
Norzai sustained critical injuries in the attack and died at the scene. The attackers fled immediately after the shooting.
Police said the victim’s vehicle was riddled with bullet holes. Witnesses claimed police arrived at the scene nearly an hour after the attack, by which time Norzai had succumbed to his injuries.
A friend transported the body to Civil Hospital, where doctors said Norzai had suffered three gunshot wounds—one to the head and two to the arms. The head wound proved fatal.
A police spokesperson confirmed the incident and said investigators had collected evidence from the scene. Authorities are examining CCTV footage, witness statements and other evidence to identify the attackers.
Police said the motive for the killing remains unclear. Family members told investigators that Norzai had no known personal enmity with anyone.
Muhammad Hashim Norzai owned a private hotel and was also involved in the hospitality industry, Afghan transit trade and other business ventures. He was regarded as an influential businessman and a well-known social figure in the local business community.
The killing has sparked concern among Quetta’s business community. Business leaders described the incident as a major loss for both the victim’s family and the wider trading community, while raising fresh concerns over the security of businessmen in the province.
