KARACHI: Two brothers and their cousin were gunned down by unidentified attackers outside an eatery in Karachi’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal neighbourhood late on Friday night, DawnNews reported.

According to eye witnesses, the deceased, identified as brothers Talib Ahmed and Sajid Ahmed and their cousin Kashif Ahmed, were having dinner at a road-side restaurant near Maskan Chowrangi when gunned down by unknown motorcycle riders.

The incident spread fear in the locality as the dead were shifted to a nearby private hospital.

The incident seems an apparent targeted killing as the victims were reportedly sympathizers of the Sunni sectarian group, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ).

However, a brother of the deceased told the media that they did not have links with any political or religious group. He said the family had been running a local business in the area for last 20 years.

Police officials said that an investigation was underway to ascertain motive behind the killing.

Earlier in the day, provincial leader of the ASWJ Maulana Shamsur Rehman Muavia was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Lahore also.