KARAK, May 31: The former district general secretary of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Maulana Saleemullah, and a passerby were killed and three others sustained injuries when his rivals opened firing on him in Latambar area here on Tuesday.

Eyewitnesses said that the cleric was returning from a jirga of Khattak Ittehad when his rivals intercepted him. “They first scuffled with him and then shot him dead,” they said. Four other persons, including a schoolboy, were injured in the incident.

The injured were taken to district headquarters hospital in Karak, where one of them identified as Sadiqur Rehman succumbed to his injuries. The schoolboy, Mohammad Numan, was referred to Peshawar in precarious condition.

The other injured were identified as Mohammad Usman, a local trader, and his cousin Mohammad Bukhtiar.

Sources said that Maulana Saleemullah, also former nazim of Latambar union council, exchanged harsh words with some participants during the jirga, which was convened by Khattak Ittehad leader Malik Hidaytullah to discuss the issue of provision of natural gas to the area.

Sources said when the cleric was returning home from the jirga, he was stopped by some men, who started scuffling with him and later shot him dead.

Maulvi Kaleemullah, brother of Maulana Saleemullah, registered FIR against three accused Sher Dayaz, Qad Ayaz and Mumtaz, sons of Mir Azad, of Aral Adam Banda in the Latamber police station.

Sources said that Saleemullah was on bail in a kidnapping for ransom case and he also had an old enmity in the area. He was running a seminary for boys and girls in Latamber town.

Meanwhile, a young picnicker drowned while taking a dip in Zebi Dam here on Tuesday.

Police said that a second year student Shahid Mansoor, 19, a resident of Tappi Karak went to Zebi Dam along with his friends for picnic. After lunch they started swimming in the dam reservoir when Shahid drowned.

Local divers fished out the body from the water after a few hours.