Gunmen kill religious scholar in 'targeted attack' in Karachi

The victim was associated with prominent religious scholar Mufti Munibur Rehman

KARACHI (Dunya News) - Unidentified gunmen shot and killed a religious scholar in a suspected targeted attack in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar locality on Tuesday morning, police and witnesses said.

Mufti Abdul Qayum, 45, who was associated with the Sunni Ulema Council, was approached by unidentified men motorcyclists in the locality’s Block-9.

The incident happened at 7am after which the body was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for autopsy.

According to the East-SSP, the shooting appeared to be a targeted killing incident. He said the scholar, Mufti Qayum, walking down the street when pillion riders fired a single bullet at his head from close range and fled.

The victim was associated with prominent religious scholar Mufti Munibur Rehman.

In a satement, Mufti Munib said Allama Sufi Abdul Qayum was a prominent Ahle Sunnat religious scholar. The victim was Khateeb and head of the Jamia Masjid Muhammadia Noorania and Islamic Centre in Architect Society, Gulistan-i-Jauhar respectively.

According to Mufti Munib, the APP Society in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Block-8 had given land in writing to Saylani Welfare International Trust to construct a mosque there.

The statement said the trust had constructed the mosque and appointed their imam/khateeb owing to which, certain people started a drive to “take control” of the mosque.

He alleged that “it is being said” that a Qabza group (landgrabbers) linked to a mosque in APP Society was involved in the murder, but “God knows better”.

“Allama Sufi Abdul Qayum was a gentleman, soft-spoken and muttaqi (pious) person,” Mufti Munib added.

He demanded the chief minister of Sindh, provincial home minister, IG police and additional IG police Karachi to arrest the murderers and bring them to justice.

Police said it's premature to establish a motive and that the investigation had been launched.