Religious leader shot dead outside mosque

Two others targeted in apparent sectarian attack.

KARACHI: A prayer leader belonging to the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) was killed in Gulistan-e-Jauhar while two employees of Qatar Hospital were targeted in Orangi Town on Friday.

Maulana Muhammad Yasir, 28, son of Mir Samad, was shot dead while his companion, 25-year-old Muhammad Ahmed, son of Matin, was injured in a targeted attack near Safoora Chowrangi, Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

The body and the injured were taken to Jinnah hospital for autopsy and treatment. Witnesses and police said that the deceased prayer leader, along with his companion, was coming out of the mosque after Friday prayers when at least two men on a motorcycle opened fire. Yasir received multiple bullets and died on the spot. Police officer Muhammad Ismail said it seemed Yasir was the target allegedly due to his sect.

On the other hand, ASWJ spokesperson confirmed the affiliation of the prayer leader and the injured with the organisation and said that Yasir was also the leader of the party for Safoora Chowrangi area. He said that this was the second major killing of the party’s men in the current week as Maulana Shabbir Hyderi was gunned down in a same manner in Korangi a few days back.

Around 15 minutes before Yasir’s killing at around 2pm, two employees of Qatar Hospital were targeted near Ghausia Chowk, Orangi Town. The victims were identified as Haider Zaidi, 44, and Saleem Haider, 28. Mominabad SHO Sabir Khattak said Zaidi died on the spot while Haider was admitted to the intensive care unit at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital with injuries. He added that both the victims belonged to the Shia sect while Haider was also associated with unit 131 of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2015.