RAWALPINDI: A school principal was shot dead while his brother-in-law was injured in an alleged target killing incident on Tulsa Road on Wednesday night.

Mufti Imran Farooq, who served as principal of Iqra School on Mubarak Lane, Adiala Road, was going to a filtration plant with his brother-in-law Musarat Hussain in his car.

He was intercepted by two men on a motorcycle, who opened fire.

As a result, Mufti Imran died on the spot while Musarat Hussain received a bullet injury to his leg.

The deceased and the injured were shifted to District Headquarters Hospital where Musarat is said to be in stable condition.

“He was targeted but it is yet to be established whether it was an outcome of an enmity or a sectarian killing,” City Police Officer (CPO) Humayun Bashir Tarar told Dawn.

He further said the police were investigating whether the deceased had any affiliation with a religious organisation or was it an outcome of an old enmity.

“It was not a case of robbery or theft because the victims were directly shot by the gunmen, who later disappeared from the scene,” the CPO said.

Preliminary police investigation suggests that Mufti Imran had served as the prayer leader of a local mosque, but he was removed from the post due to resentment of the people of another sect in the area.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Haroon Rashid said Mufti Imran and his brother-in-law belonged to Azad Kashmir.

“Apparently it does not look like a sectarian killing. However, the real motive behind the murder would be known after an investigation is launched,” the ASP said.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2014