ISLAMABAD - An official of a Pakistani intelligence agency was shot dead, and four others were injured when armed persons opened fire at faithful coming out of an imambargah after offering “Magrabain” prayers here on Wednesday, police said.
The incident took place at Imambargah Babul Ilm in I-8 Markaz here after 6pm. According to the police sources, two persons riding a bike stopped at a water cooler outside the imambargah, apparently for drinking water and waited until the faithful came out.
Hubdar Hussain son of Hadi Hussain, a resident of Attock District was killed on the spot, while four others sustained bullet injuries as the attacker opened fire on them.
The injured include Syed Nadeem Hassan son of Syed Tariq Hassan, Dr Inayat Khalid son of Hassan Ali, Syed Ain Zaidi son of Sibtain Zaidi, and Syed Razi Zaidi son of Mir Abdullah Jan.
The injured were immediately shifted to the PIMS hospital for medical treatment where most of them were stated to be in critical condition at the time of filing of this report.
According to police sources, Hubdar Hussain was employee of an intelligence agency and apparently he was the target of the attackers.
The attackers escape from the scene immediately after the incident. According to the police, there were no security officials on duty at the imambargah when the armed persons attacked.
Police immediately reached the spot and collected evidence from the scene.
The authorities have obtained CC TV footage of the incident and further investigation is underway.
AFP adds: "Two gunmen approached a water cooler installed outside the mosque's main gate and filled their glasses with water, then opened fire indiscriminately on people as they came out," local police official Qasim Ahmad told AFP.
He said the gunmen arrived on foot and then ran away after the shooting, disappearing into a nearby greenbelt.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
The shooting comes days after a military-brokered deal ended weeks-long anti-blasphemy protests in Islamabad that saw seven killed and hundreds wounded in clashes with police.