Sectarian violence: Ice cream seller shot dead

PESHAWAR:

Qaiser Raza, an ice cream seller, was gunned down on Friday outside a mosque in Mohalla Jhangi area.

Four assailants armed with 9mm pistols opened fire outside Abuzer Ghafari mosque in Mohalla Jhangi. Raza, 45, Ghayasuddin, 26 and Yasin, 10, were severely injured and rushed to Lady Reading Hospital. Raza,  however, succumbed to his injuries in the neurology intensive care unit (ICU).

Talking to The Express Tribune, a police official said Raza, a resident of Gujranwala, was living in Mochipura area of the city and selling ice cream on his cart for the past 18 years. “Qaisar was allegedly targeted because he belonged to the Shia Muslim community,” the official added.

The culprits took advantage of the panic caused by their firing and managed to escape successfully. An FIR has been lodged and investigation has begun.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th,  2015.