The police in Karachi have claimed that religious leader Maulana Ziaur Rehman was killed “during a robbery”, ruling out an assassination.

At least four suspects were arrested in the killing of Maulana Zia-ur-Rehman who was gunned down in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Johar on September 13.

Karachi Eeast Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Azfar Mahesar held a press conference in the DIG office in Karachi and said that the accused Gul Sher, Haq Nawaz Gopang, Umair and Yaseen were found involved in criminal activities and they had killed Rehman during a robbery.

Three of the accused belonged to Punjab while one was from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said.

The police said that at least 11 bullet shells were found at the site of the incident.

The police investigated 100 suspects and conducted more than 70 raids to arrest the culprits.

However, the leader of the gang had not been arrested yet.

The DIG told reporters that police recovered weapons from accuses and was investigation the killing from different angles.