HAFIZABAD: In the second incident of its kind within a week, unknown gunmen killed a journalist, who was also an office bearer of the district press club, in Punjab’s Hafizbabad area on Sunday.

Yaqoob Shehzad, a father of four, was sitting in the office of a local journalist on Gujranwala road in Hafizabad district of Punjab when motorcycle-riding gunmen arrived at the spot and opened indiscriminate fire.

The spray of bullets killed Shehzad, who was associated with the Express Media Group, on the spot while the assailants managed to flee from the scene.

The residence of the senior journalist had also come under attack a few months ago but he had remained unhurt in the incident.

Trade, journalist, social and religious unions condemned the murder of the journalist and demanded the immediate arrest of the killers.

District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Zubair Dareshak reached the site after the incident and said that the culprits would be brought to justice. He added that Shehzad's friend, who was injured and shifted to a hospital for treatment, would also be questioned after his condition improved.

A police probe into the attack is underway and a First Information report (FIR) of the incident was lodged against four unknown persons at the City police station in Hafizabad on the complaint of the deceased’s brother.

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier on October 3, unidentified gunmen had killed another journalist Nadeem Haider, who was working for the Daily Dunya newspaper in Kaleki Mandi area a similar fashion.

Taking notice of the incident, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif sought a report from DPO Dareshak within 24 hours and directed for the immediate arrest of those behind the attack.

The funeral prayers of the deceased will be held in the Railway Lines area at 10pm today.