LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Lahore women wing president Neelam Ashraf's young son was found dead on Saturday in his car in Nishtar Colony under mysterious circumstances.

Nauman Ashraf, 28, a lawyer by profession, was shot in the head, initial police investigations said. He had returned from abroad recently for his marriage scheduled a week later.

Initially, the murder was linked to street crime by the victim’s relatives. Later, in response to an investigator’s claim that Nauman might have committed suicide, the family alleged police were deliberately complicating the case.

According to the latest version of the incident given by the family, Nauman was shot dead by his friends over a property dispute. The victim’s mother, Neelam Ashraf and a number of PTI leaders visited Nishtar Colony police station.

Quoting initial investigations, Model Town Division Operations SP Tariq Aziz told Dawn Nauman Ashraf left his house around 10:30am on Saturday telling his family he was going to some place near Kamahan village to see a friend.

He contacted his family last time by phone at 2:30pm and was later found dead at around 4:30pm in his car with a bullet wound in his head. Police found his cell phone and Rs12,000 cash in the victim’s pocket which indicated that he was not killed during a robbery bid, the SP said.

Quoting the family, the SP said Nauman and his friend Waris were running a property business and the meeting was in that connection.

Nauman’s uncle Munawar, in his application to Nishtar Colony police, has nominated Waris, his brother Khursheed and some unknown men.

The SP said the police had arrested the two nominated suspects, besides Khursheed’s father Rasheed Ahmad and his brother Muneeb.

The body was sent to the city morgue for autopsy and further investigations would be conducted on the basis of the autopsy report, Mr Aziz said.

Imran condemns: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has condemned the murder of 27-year-old Nauman Ashraf, son of PTI Lahore Women Wing President Neelum Ashraf, as well as killing of party ticket holder from PP-176 (Kasur) Masood Ahmed Bhatti.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, Mr Khan as well as PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry, Secretary-General Dr Yasmin Rashid and Information Secretary Andleeb Abbas expressed sorrow over the incidents.

Mr Khan said the killing of a young boy was highly condemnable especially for a lady, who had already lost her husband a few years earlier.

“This broad daylight murder is an example of how unsafe Lahore has become,” Mr Khan said.

Ejaz Chaudhry demanded that an immediate investigation be launched to apprehend the killers.