RAWALPINDI: A Shia scholar was shot and injured on Wednesday morning as he headed to his workplace.

Police said two gunmen riding a motorcycle fired at Maulana Nazeer Hussain Imrani, 50, who was going to the Government Jamia Comprehensive High School after dropping his daughter at her college.

Some passersby rushed him to Benazir Bhutto Hospital where he was stated to be in stable condition. His son, Irtiqa Hussain Imrani, told Dawn that the bullets hit his father in the chest, with some pellets penetrating his cheek and tongue.

“My father never received any threats from any group but apparently it was targeted attack,” he said.

Mr Imrani taught Arabic and Islamic Studies and was the custodian of the Imambargah Qasr-i-Sajjad in Sadiqabad locality. He was going to the government school in the capacity of controller examination when the gunmen fired at his motorcycle on Farooq-i-Azam Road, said the son.

Irtiqa said some witnesses put the number of attackers at four.

Malik Azhar Ali, an official of the Imambargah Qasr-i-Sajjad, lodged an FIR with Sadiqabad police, saying that he was going to a market at about 8:20am when he saw Maulana Nazeer Hussain Imrani coming on his motorcycle (RIL-7462).

As Maulana Imrani reached Aamir Shaheed Chowk, two persons riding a motorbike appeared on the scene and the pillion rider opened fire on him.

Police have registered a case of attempted murder against the unknown attackers under anti-terrorism and are investigating.