ISLAMABAD: A 26-years-old Careem captain Junaid Mustafa was killed by unidentified assailants in here on Thursday morning, right after dropping off a ride in sector G-13.

The shocking homicide was also followed by the gunmen taking away his car and other belongings.

Junaid, who was a Rawalpindi resident, had been driving for the taxi-hailing service Careem for the past three months. According to a report by a local news source, he had picked up unidentified person(s) from F-11 Markaz in Islamabad at around 2:35 am on February 22. No drop-off location was added by the customer, however, the ride ended only three minutes later at 2.58 am after travelling a distance of 11 11 kilometres.

The police have reported that Mustafa was found dead in Street 79 of sector G-13/1 a while later. He had been shot in his chest and left arm multiple times with a 30-bore pistol, while his right hand and arm were also injured.

The gunmen not only took away his Suzuki WagonR and its registration book, but also two mobile phones.

Golra police have registered a murder case against the unidentified assailants but have not come across any clue as yet.

Following Thursday’s murder, dozens of Careem captains announced a strike against the company on Friday. The captains blamed the company for Mustafa’s murder and lamented that the company’s strict regulations had bound the captains to accept rides from dangerous areas at late hours. The drivers have announced of holding a car rally from F-9 Park to D-Chowk on Friday afternoon.

One captain told the media that Careem had revamped its policy in which the revision states that Careem captains can only request a reassignment of accepted rides three times a week by calling the helpline. On the fourth time, the captain is charged with Rs 1,000, as well as, a re-inspection of the car that costs Rs 500.

“This way, they have compelled the drivers to take the ride even when drivers don’t want to. They have no option even when it’s for their safety,” he said.

When contacted, Golra Station House Officer (SHO) Tanveer Abbasi stated that the police was working on the case but refused comment on any findings. Golra Sub-Divisional Police Officer Ghulam Muhammad Baqir also declined to comment.

In response, Careem tweeted:

In this tragic time, we request you to please pray for Careem’s Captain Junaid Mustafa and his family. pic.twitter.com/qtJ53JWnXB — Careem Pakistan (@CareemPAK) February 22, 2018

Meanwhile, Careem, in another statement issued through Twitter, also demanded that the cities are made safer.

The statement further states: “Captain Junaid Mustafa’s death is a terrible tragedy for the entire Careem family. It sheds light on how vulnerable citizens can be on the road while earning an honest living. Since the minute the incident was reported, Careem’s team has constantly been in touch with the victim’s family and the police. We have shared crucial data and information that has helped the police make advances in the investigation. Of course, any specific update on the case will best be shared by law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

Every member of the Careem family, the captains, customers and colleagues, are equally pained and demand that our cities are made safer. We would be happy to work with LEAs to devise strategies to make this possible.”