A family trip to Quetta ended in tragedy for Karachi-based businessman Ali Jameel, also known as Ali Murtaza, who was killed in a terrorist attack in the Dasht (Khand) area of Balochistan after allegedly being directed onto a dangerous route by Google Maps.
Ali Jameel, a well-known trader associated with Karachi’s mobile and electronics market, was a resident of Nazimabad. He was laid to rest at Society Graveyard on Tariq Road. He is survived by his father, brother, critically injured wife, and two young daughters.
According to the family, Ali Jameel had travelled to Quetta with his family for the first time during the summer holidays. While returning from Quetta, they relied on digital navigation, which directed their vehicle onto what appeared to be a shortcut but was, in reality, a sensitive and highly dangerous area in Dasht (Khand).
According to the family, as the vehicle entered the deserted area, unidentified terrorists who were lying in wait opened indiscriminate fire on the passenger vehicle.
Ali Jameel sustained a bullet wound to the chest and died at the scene. His wife suffered multiple gunshot wounds and remains critically injured. Their two young daughters, who witnessed the attack, are said to be in severe trauma and are unable to speak.
Ali Jameel’s father said that after the incident, neither the Balochistan government, the local administration, nor the Balochistan Police contacted the family or provided any assistance. He confirmed that due to what he described as complete indifference by the authorities and security institutions, the family made its own arrangements to transport Ali Jameel’s body and his critically injured daughter-in-law from Quetta to Karachi.
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After arriving in Karachi, funeral prayers for Ali Jameel were offered at Rehmania Mosque on Tariq Road. The funeral was attended by trader leader Rizwan Irfan, Karachi Mobile and Electronics Dealers Association President Minhaj Gulfam, and a large number of citizens.
The victim’s father questioned why there was no patrolling by law enforcement agencies if Dasht (Khand) was such a sensitive and no-go area. He also asked why clear signboards had not been installed on highways to warn travelers and prevent ordinary citizens from entering the area. He further questioned whether it was the state’s responsibility to coordinate with platforms such as Google to block or mark sensitive and dangerous routes with warning zones.
He said that if the area is part of Pakistan, such a killing should not have happened there. He appealed to the public not to travel to the area by mistake, saying that his son made only one mistake and paid a devastating price for it.
The Karachi business community also expressed deep grief and anger over the killing of their colleague. Trader leader Rizwan Irfan described the incident as an act of open terrorism and appealed to the Field Marshal, the Balochistan government, and relevant authorities to take immediate notice. He added that the injured woman is currently fighting for her life in hospital.
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Karachi Mobile and Electronics Dealers Association President Minhaj Gulfam said that a navigation error on Google Maps might be a minor issue in ordinary cities, but in this case it destroyed an entire family. He demanded the best possible medical treatment for the injured woman and called for a high-level inquiry into the incident.
