ISLAMABAD, May 3: A public prosecutor in the Benazir assassination case was gunned down here on Friday.

Chaudhry Zulfikar Ali was scheduled to submit a challan in an anti-terrorism court against former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf in connection with the murder case and was going to the FIA headquarters to discuss the matter. The court was to take up a bail application of the former military ruler.

According to police, Chaudhry Zulfikar left his G-9/1 house along with his official guard, Frontier Constabulary constable Farman Ali, at about 7am.

Four armed men lying in wait near Dak Khan bus stop intercepted his car and opened fire with 9mm and 30 bore pistols.

Chaudhry Zulfikar suffered multiple bullet wounds and lost control over the car which first collided with a tree and later hit a woman who died on the spot.

The constable was hit by a bullet but he fired at and injured one of the attackers. The gunman’s pistol and celphone fell on the road, but his associates helped him escape from the scene.

Inspector General of Islamabad Police Bani Yamin Khan said a pamphlet had been found at the scene of the attack carrying the name of hitherto unknown Mujahedeen-i-Islami. It reads: “Those who help punish mujahideen will meet the same fate.”

Police said Chaudhry Zulfikar had been receiving threats from militants and had been given a guard at his request.

IG Yamin said the prosecutor had been attacked from four sides. There were multiple bullet marks on both sides of the car and its windscreens had been smashed. When police reached the area the prosecutor was already dead. According to doctors, he had been hit by a number of bullets in the head, neck, face, shoulder and chest. Seventeen wounds were found on the body.

His guard had received a single bullet injury in the leg, they added.

He told police that the car was intercepted when it was negotiating a U-turn. He said he had fired back and injured one of the attackers.

Witnesses said there were four to six attackers.

Caretaker Interior Minister Malik Habib ordered an inquiry into the incident and arrest of the killers.

A joint investigation team headed by Deputy Inspector General Tahir Alam Khan and comprising Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jamil Hashmi and officers of the Crime Investigation Department, Investigation Wing, FIA and intelligence agencies was set up.

Our Staff Reporter in Karachi adds: President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the murder of Chaudhry Zulfikar and called for a thorough investigation to expose the real culprits and bring them to justice.

AFP adds: Chaudhry Zulfikar was also a state prosecutor in the 2008 Mumbai attacks case.