PESHAWAR: A senior doctor was shot dead inside his private clinic in Phase-I of Hayatabad Township on Saturday morning.

A police official said since the deceased, Dr Sayed Mohammad, was a member of Shia community, the killing seemed to be of sectarian nature.

He said the deceased’s son, Zainul Abiddin, informed them that his father had left house in the same locality for clinic at around 8am and around one hour later, someone informed his family that he had been attacked by gunmen there.

The official said attackers were unidentified as the deceased’s son claimed his family or father had no enmity. He said the deceased had never received terrorist threats.

Another police official said two gunmen entered the Ali Clinic, opened fire at Dr Sayed Mohammad with a pistol and fled on a motorcycle.

The official said the attackers had come to the deceased in the garb of patients.

He said the doctor was shifted to the Hayatabad Medical Complex immediately after the firing incident but he was pronounced dead.

The official said the Hayatabad police had registered a case against unidentified terrorists before beginning a search for them.

He, however, said no arrests were made by night.

BOMB BLAST: A bomb blast took place outside the house of a banned outfit’s former commander in Urmar area on the outskirts of Peshawar on Saturday.

However, no damage to public life was reported.

An official of the local police said unidentified men had planted a bomb outside the house of Niaz Wali and that bomb went off with a bang.

He said the blast damaged a portion of the house, including main gate, and smashed windowpanes of nearby houses.

The official said Niaz was associated with banned Lashkar-i-Islam until recently when he stopped supporting the outfit and shifted to Urmar area of Peshawar.

He said the police had collected evidence from the blast site but had yet to draw any conclusion.

The official said the police had registered a case under the anti-terrorism law and began probe.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play