Maulana Masoodur Rehman Usmani shot dead in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Amid increasing terror-related incidents almost across Pakistan, Sunni Ulema Council’s (SUC) top official Maulana Masoodur Rehman Usmani was shot dead by unknown assailants in Islamabad on Friday, Geo News reported.

The incident happened when the vehicle of Usmani, a prominent religious figure, was fired upon by suspects — on a motorcycle — in the federal capital's Ghauri town area.

In a statement, SUC spokesperson Yasir Qasmi also confirmed the death of the religious body's central deputy general secretary.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad police said that one person was killed and another was injured after a vehicle was fired upon within Khanna police station’s jurisdiction.

A heavy contingent of the police is present at the crime scene, the statement from the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police stated.

“[The police] are tracing the perpetrators with the help of [footages taken from] close circuit television (CCTV) cameras.”

Those responsible will be soon brought to justice, the police reassured.

Meanwhile, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon has reached the Pakistan Institute Of Medical Sciences (PIMS) — where the deceased’s dead body was transferred after the incident.

The incident comes days after former member of the National Assembly and National Democratic Movement (NDM) leader Mohsin Dawar's convoy came under a gun attack by terrorists in Tappi village North Waziristan.

However, the politician escaped unharmed as the security personnel accompanying Dawar fired back at the assailants, which forced them to flee from the scene, North Waziristan District Police Officer (DPO) Rohan Zaib confirmed to Geo News.

Earlier, the convoy of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman had also come under attack a few days ago in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Dera Ismail Khan.

Ever since the Taliban-led administration took over neighbouring Afghanistan, Pakistan has witnessed a notable surge in terror incidents across the country with terror attacks reaching the highest level in 2023 since 2014.