LAHORE, May 13: A Punjab University Islami Jamait Tulaba office-bearer and law student was shot dead and another student injured outside Hostel No 16 of the varsity’s New Campus on Sunday.

Police said the suspects who shot Awais Aqeel, who was central area nazim of IJT, were former students of the varsity and ex-members of the IJT. Apparently, an internal rift led to the killing, they added.

The indiscriminate firing, which put a question mark on security arrangements made by the varsity administration, triggered panic among students and shopkeepers who saved their lives by taking cover or running away from the scene.

The victim had been taken into custody along with others by Multan police after a clash broke out between PSF and IJT chapters of Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan, over a week ago.

Quoting witnesses, DIG (Operation) Rai Muhammad Tahir told Dawn that Awais, who was an LLB student at varsity’s Law College, was sitting at the canteen adjacent to Hostel No 16 when eight assailants riding bikes opened fire on him. The suspects fled the scene immediately after shooting Aqeel.

He said Awais, a resident of Sumbrial, Sialkot, and his friend Ejaz Butt, who is a student of Hailey College and was also injured, were transported to the Jinnah Hospital where the former succumbed to his wounds.

A police investigator said some witnesses identified two of the assailants as Ibrar Watto and Imran Tarar who were likely to be nominated in the FIR.

He said Ibrar and Imran were also former students of PU and remained office-bearers of PU’s IJT chapter. Ibrar was also wanted in some other cases.

PROTEST: A protest was staged on Multan Road after a 32-year-old taxi driver was found shot dead on Qitar Bund Road in Hunjarwal on Sunday.

Hunjarwal police said Muhammad Nadeem of Zikria Town Raiwind Road, left home by his van on Saturday and didn’t return.

The family found Nadeem’s cell phone powered off.

On Sunday, some passers by alerted the police about the body of a man found on Qita Bund Road which was later identified by Nadeem’s family. Police said the victim was shot twice and his vehicle was missing.

The victim’s family members and relatives blocked Multan Road in protest.

Police shifted the body to Jinnah Hospital morgue for autopsy and registered a case.