KARACHI: A member of Ahmadi community was shot dead in suspected sectarian attack in Gulzar-i-Hijri area on Sunday evening, according to Sachal police and the community official.

They added that as Shaikh Sajid Mehmood, 55, came out from his home in Kaneez Fatima Society off Superhighway, four suspects riding on two motorcycles opened fire on him and fled.

He sustained critical bullet injuries and was transported to JPMC where doctors declared him as dead on arrival, said Dr. Seemin Jamali, executive director of the hospital. He had sustained multiple bullet wounds.

Sachal police officer said that the victim belonged to Ahmadi community.

“This was third such targeting killings in the same vicinity during last several months,” said a spokesperson of Jamaat Ahmadiya.

Previously, Khaleeq and Daud were gunned down in Gulzar-e-Hijri.

The spokesperson told Dawn that the victim was an auto-parts dealer.

Police suspect sectarian motive behind murder

Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department official Raja Umer Khattab told Dawn that the killing of the DSP Shigri and Ahmadi man were motivated by sectarian considerations.

He suspected involvement of the same group behind the both incidents.

Khattab revealed that a ‘new group’ had emerged during last five-six months, which was targeting Ahmadi men near adjoining areas of Sohrab Goth and Shia community members in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

The CTD official said previously, Al-Qaeda targeted people in Gulistan-i-Jauhar whose members later on joined Islamic State but this gang was busted in 2013.

He revealed that prior to attack on the DSP Shigri, unknown gunmen attacked a vehicle of DSP Traffic Gulberg Zafar Husain near Samama Shopping Centre in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, however, he remained unhurt.