GWADAR: The spiritual leader of the Zikri community was shot dead in the Balgather Gadagi area of Kech district on Friday.

According to Levies officials, Syed Mullah Akhtar Mullai was gunned down by men on a motorcycle.

“Armed men attacked the spiritual leader of the Zikri community when he was returning home after solemnising the nikah of one of his devotees in the area,” an official said. The attackers escaped after the murder.

The banned Baloch Liber­ation Front (BLF) claimed responsibility for the killing.

In a statement issued to the media, the group said it had taken Syed Mullai into its custody some time back and later released him on the guarantees of some elders of the area, but he had again begun working against the BLF.

On Wednesday, the All Pakistan Muslim Zikri Anju­man condemned violence in Panjgur on Sept 20 that had seen several places of worship and houses belonging to the community set on fire.

In a statement, the organisation said that such incidents exposed the level of security arrangements made for minorities in Balochistan. “We are determined to defeat all such elements that want to divide the people and strike against harmony among the people of Balochis­tan from different religious backgrounds,” it said. “We also appeal [to] the people of Panjgur to stay calm and united as the enemies of peace and sectarian harmony... strike the unity among Balochistan’s people to achieve their targets through such evil designs.”

The Anjuman urged the government and all political and religious parties to play their role for sectarian harmony and peace in Balochis­tan. Such incidents also raised questions about the claims of the provincial administration regarding restoration of peace and security, it added.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakis­tan, in a statement issued on Friday, expressed serious con­cerns over the violence in Panjgur where several worship places of the Zikri community were torched, according to PPI.

Published in Dawn October 8th, 2016