01 June 2004	Tuesday	12 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

KARACHI, May 31: Business activities in many localities remained dull as a number of shops appeared closed on Monday in the wake of the assassination on Sunday of renowned religious scholar Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai.

Mufti Shamzai was shot dead while coming out of his apartment along with his close relatives and a police guard by unidentified assailants. The people accompanying him were injured in the attack.

The incident triggered off violence during which a police station, four bank branches, a petrol pump and a restaurant, as well as 24 vehicles, were set on fire on Sunday.

Calm, however, prevailed in the city on Monday and traffic appeared normal. Law-enforcement agencies carried out patrolling in different areas. Meanwhile, the CCPO has constituted a special investigation team headed by the DIG Investigation, Fayaz Leghari.

SSP Investigation Manzoor Mughal, SP Farooq Awan and other Central police officers are its members. The team would be assisted by the Special Branch and CID. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq, who had especially flown to Karachi from Islamabad on Sunday after learning about the tragedy, visited Jamia Masjid Binnori Town on Monday morning and offered fateha for the departed soul of Mufti Shamzai.

Ijazul Haq was accompanied by provincial minister Imtiaz Shaikh and Senator Maulana Samiul Haq. Maulana Tanvirul Haq and Qari Mohammed Usman were also present on the occasion. -APP