An Ahmadiyya community leader was killed by unidentified men in Bahawalpur’s Hasilpur district on Monday morning, police said.
“The investigation is under way,” Bahwalpur police spokesman Umer Saleem told Aaj News. Police have not reached any conclusion of the murder, he added.
Tahir Iqbal, 54, was walking in the Chak-84 village when two men on a motorcycle opened fire at him and fled from the scene. He died on the spot, according to the first information report.
The FIR was registered under sections 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 302 (punishment of qatl-i-amd) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Saddar, Hasilpur Police Station.
According to Saleem, it would take up to two to three days to ascertain the reason behind the murder.
Motives behind the murder of the Ahmadi leader were not clear, he added and refuted claims reported in a section of media that it was related to a woman or religious.
Meanwhile, the Ahmadiyya community spokesperson confirmed that Iqbal was an active member and leader of the community.
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“He was not involved in any dispute,” the Jamaat Ahamddiya spokesperson said and claimed that the hate campaign against the community was at its peak.
It mentioned that a few days ago a group of people demolished the minaret of the Ahmadiyya worship place at Karachi’s Dastagir Society.
The community said that 15 to 20 “extremists” took two armed policemen on duty hostage and forcibly entered their place of worship.
(With input from web desk)
