LAHORE: Shia cleric Allama Nasir Abbas of Multan was shot dead by unidentified armed men on Sunday night.

He belonged to the Tehreek-i-Nifaz-i-Fiqh Jafaria (TNFJ).

He was going to his residence after attending a Majlis at Qaumi Markaz, Shah Jamal at around 11 pm when armed motorcycles intercepted his vehicle near FC College Underpass and opened fire.

Abbas was seriously injured in the attack and was taken to Shaikh Zayed Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Model Town SP (Operations) Tariq Aziz quoted witnesses as saying that Allama Nasir Abbas and his student Hafiz Anjum were going to his Eden Value Homes residence near Thokar when assailants on motorcycles intercepted their car and opened fire. The student and Allama’s driver escaped unhurt, the SP said, adding that the gunmen escaped.

Following Allama Nasir's murder, a large number of his followers reached Shaikh Zayed Hospital.

Expressing their anger, they chanted slogans against the government and damaged the premises.

They further demanded that the body be handed over to them.

After receiving the body, the protestors marched towards the Governor House.

Police officers inspected the site of incident and supervised the collection of forensic evidence. In the hospital, they recorded the statements of the survivors.

Large contingents of police were at the crime scene and at the hospital till late in the night.

Allama Nasir Abbas, 42, has left behind six daughters and a son.

Condemning the killing of Shia cleric, Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen has announced three days of mourning.

A spokesman of Majlis Wahadatul Musalameen said that the government has failed to stop sectarian targeted killings.

Meanwhile, Tahafuz-i-Azadari Council in Karachi also condemned the killing and slammed the government for failing to protect Shias in the country.