MIRPURKHAS/KARACHI: The Jamat-i-Ahmadiyya on Friday strongly condemned murder of its local community leader in a “targeted attack” within the limits of the Naukot police station of Mirpurkhas earlier in the day.

In a press release, the Jamat’s central spokesman, Amir Mahmood, said that two unknown assailants riding a motorcycle shot dead Amir Hasan Mirarrni, 40, while he was returning home after saying morning prayers in a worship place in the Fazal Bhambro area near Naukot town. He was accompanying his son, the spokesman said.

He claimed that the assailants drove close to Amir Hasan and asked him about his identity before opening fire on him. The victim received fatal bullet wounds on his chest and died instantly, he added.

The spokesman expressed his serious concern over a “religion-based provocative and hateful campaign being run across the country against Ahmadis” and pointed out that Ahmadiyya followers were being attacked and killed in different parts of the country.

He urged the state institutions to ensure safety and security of Ahmadis.

Meanwhile, Mirpurkhas SSP Shabbir Ahmed Sethar, speaking to Dawn, said: “We are registering an FIR of the incident”, adding that an investigation from different angles was already under way.

The SSP said that a special team headed by a CIA DSP had been constituted to investigate the case.

Sources in Naukot said that Amir Hasan Mirarrani, son of Dur Mohammad Mirarrani, was shot dead in Gul Mohammad Mirarrani village. They said the victim received five bullets fired from a point blank range.

The body was brought to the Naukot rural health centre for a post-mortem examination before it was handed over to the heirs.

Soon after the incident, a strong contingent of police headed by the Jhuddo DSP and Naukot SHO rushed to the area, cordoned it off and mounted a search for the attackers.

Tension gripped Naukot and its surrounding villages following the incident.

The police are said to have picked up some suspects, who were undergoing an interrogation till the last repots came in late Friday evening.

Imtiaz Ali in Karachi and Qamaruddin Shaikh in Mirpurkhas also contributed to the report.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2024