KARACHI: Investigators probing the murder of a senior leader of Pasban-i-Aza feared the return of sectarian terrorism in the metropolis, as they believed that Syed Salman Haider Rizvi was killed because of sectarian reasons.

On Saturday night, Rizvi, the son of Pasban-i-Aza founder SM Haider, was gunned down by armed assailants near his home in Federal B Area’s Block 20.

Talking to Dawn, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) official Raja Umar Khattab recalled that such a killing apparently based on sectarianism took place after a considerable period.

He feared the sectarian terrorism was again rearing its ugly head in the metropolis.

The official pointed out that the victim had been a close associate of Askari Raza, who was gunned down in a sectarian attack in the past.

Investigators treating Pasban-i-Aza leader’s murder as sectarian killing case

He said the initial probe revealed that four assailants were already waiting for Rizvi and when he got off the vehicle after reaching his home in Ancholi, one of the attackers approached him.

The official said that after a brief chat, in which the assailant probably asked Rizvi’s name, he fired at him and rode away along with his accomplices.

Spent bullet casings fired from a 9mm pistol had been collected from the crime scene and sent to police’s forensic science laboratory for cross-matching.

Funeral

In the evening on Sunday, the Pasban-i-Aza leader was laid to rest.

His funeral prayers were held on Shahrah-i-Pakistan after Zuhrain, which was led by Allama Hasan Zafar Naqvi. Religious scholars, leaders of different parties and people belonging to different segments of society attended the funeral. He was laid to rest in the Wadi-i-Hussain graveyard on Superhighway.

The victim apart from being active for release of missing persons was associated with different organisations and trusts.

‘Conspiracy for violence’

Talking to the media after the funeral, Allama Baqar Zaidi demanded the arrest of the killers within 24 hours and warned that they would be compelled to hold a countrywide protest.

He added that under a well-planned ‘conspiracy’, targeted killings of Shia leaders had been started in Karachi after similar incidents took place in other parts of the country.

He expressed the fear that ‘sectarian violence’ might be raising its ugly head again, but the rulers seemed to be busy in partisan politics.

The religious leaders urged the president, prime minister, chief justice and chief of army staff to take notice of the killing.

Separately, Jamaat-i-Islami Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman as condemned the murder of Pasban-i-Aza leader and the killing of the driver of JI leader Imtiaz Palarin in a gun attack on his car in Nooriabad early on Sunday morning.

Hafiz Naeem said the recent killings were aimed at triggering ‘sectarian violence’ in the metropolis.

He claimed that the Sindh government and law enforcers had failed to protect citizens.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2022