GUJRAT, Nov 19: A senior official of the University of Gujrat and his driver were shot dead on Tuesday in what is being seen here as a target attack.

Prof Syed Shabeer Hussain Shah (64), director of UoG’s student services centre and scholarship scheme, was going to the university when his official car came under fire near Loran Chowk.

Professor Shah and driver Khadim Hussain died on the spot.

The attackers first fired at the car’s windscreen and then shot Prof Shah and the driver from a close range.

Gujrat District Police Officer Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi told Dawn that the professor had been shot in the forehead and neck and the driver in the face.

He said police had found seven empty shells, adding that no witness had so far been found since the crime scene was in a deserted area. He said the professor did not have any personal enmity or a family feud and was highly respected educationist.

Police have registered a case against unidentified assailants under sections 6/7 ATA, 302, 148 and 149 of the PPC on a complaint of a brother of the deceased professor.

Bodies of both victims were handed over to heirs after autopsy at the ABS hospital. The professor was buried in his native graveyard after funeral prayers.

This is the fourth terrorist incident in the district over the past two months.

On Sept 5, an attempt was made to kill a businessman belonging to the Ahmadi community in Sara-i-Alamgir area.

On Sept 6, seven people, including a religious figure, were gunned down by four gunmen in Jassoki village.

In an ambush on Nov 6, an army driver was killed and a retired colonel was injured.