KARACHI: A young cleric was killed in the office of a seminary in the Sachal area on Saturday, sparking protest that led to a brief closure of main roads and shops, officials said.

They added that Qari Moham­mad Liaquat was alone at his office in the seminary, Jamiat-ul-Mustafa Al-Rizvia Gulshan Qasim, Gabol Goth, when he was attacked.

The police said that two men riding a motorbike pulled up outside the seminary in the Sachal area. One of them who was wearing a helmet entered the seminary office and fired shots at Qari Liaquat, the officials added.

“He was hit by two bullets and died on the spot,” said sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of the area DSP Qamar Ahmed.

“The attacker used a TT pistol,” the officer said.

He said the motorcyclists sped away following the incident.

“The 32-year-old victim originally hailed from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and taught the Quran to seminary students.”

The officer said Qari Liaquat lived in the building of the seminary that belonged to the Barelvi school of thought.

The police said that investigation was under way.

DSP Ahmed said: “Angered over the killing, the seminary students blocked the main road in protest. But the situation turned normal when the police intervened and talked to their elders, seeking cooperation that helped resolved the issue.”

Man killed in ‘sectarian’ attack

In Federal B Area, a salesman was killed in a gun attack on a shop apparently on sectarian grounds, police said.

They added that two men riding a motorbike opened fired on 40-year-old Manzar Abbas at a shop of suction pumps near the Water Pump roundabout.

“He was hit by two bullets and died on the spot,” said SDPO DSP Salim Akhtar Siddiqi. “The firing also left a plumber, identified as Mohammad Tanveer, at the shop wounded but his condition is said to be stable after being given initial treatment.

“The killing seemed to be linked with the recent wave of targeted attacks on sectarian grounds.”

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2014