KARACHl: A retired official of the Pakistan Steel Mills was killed during a robbery at his home in a gated society near Gulshan-iHadeed in the early hours of Saturday morning, police said.

They said that over eight robbers, armed with pistols and iron rods, barged into the house of 70-year-old Rao Javed Ali Khan, held the family hostage at gunpoint, beat the family members, looted cash, jewellery and other valuables and fled.

Malir SSP (Investigation) Asif Ahmed Bughio told Dawn that the robber entered Mr Khan lived in Gulshan-i-Falak Naz on main National Highway opposite Gulshan-iHadeed, Phase-Il Extension.

He said that the robbery took place at around 2am and the robbers locked the family in a room and fled with looted goods.

Malir SSP Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada told the media during a visit to the crime scene that Mr Khan, a former deputy manager of the Steel Mills, died ostensibly due to beating, shock and heart attack during the robbery.

He said the robbers, who stayed at the house for over two hours, also took away some files.

He said some people have been detained for interrogation. He opined that this robbery was `different` from other robberies in the area.

The deceased was the elder brother of local Jamaat-i-Islami leader Rao Muhajid Husain. -Staff Reporter