By News deskKARACHI: Renowned religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani narrowly survived a broad-daylight assassination attempt on Friday as gunmen attacked his vehicles while he was on his way to a seminary in the metropolis, killing two of bodyguards.Usmani’s guards, a Sindh Police official and a private security personnel, lost their lives the attack which Prime Minister Imran Khan termed a “conspiracy”.The attack took place when the mufti’s sedans, a black Honda Civic and a silver Toyota Corolla, were on their way to the Dar-ul-Uloom seminary in Korangi when they came under fire from assailants astride motorcycles, Superintendent of Police Tahir Noorani said.“First, Moulana Taqi Usmani’s car was fired on in which his guard, a Sindh police official, and driver were hit. The driver took the car straight to Liaquat National Hospital. The second car crashed at NIPA roundabout in which [security guard] Sanobar Khan was martyred and the driver Amir Shahab was injured,” he added.Karachi’s Jinnah Hospital official Dr Seemin Jamali said the security guard, Sanober Khan, was brought to the hospital dead and the driver — who is critically wounded — is on ventilator.Following the attack, The News’ Ansar Abbasi spoke with Usmani, who told him the assailants opened fire from the rear of the vehicle and then advanced ahead and shot at them from the front.The police officer who was guarding Usmani was identified as Muhammad Farooq. “A Sindh police officer embraced martyrdom in protecting Maulana Sahib,” Sind police chief Kaleem Imam said and added investigations were under way.Police found several 9mm bullet casings at the scene of the incident. The police said as per initial reports, six terrorists on three motorcycles fired at the cars. Prime Minister Imran Khan and other politicians condemned the assassination attempt and expressed theirsorrow over the murder of his guards in the attack.“The attack on an esteemed figure like Mufti Taqi Usmani is a conspiracy,” the Prime Minister said, vowing to make every possible effort to expose this conspiracy.Sindh Governor Imran Ismail told Geo News: “Maulana Taqi Usmani had been receiving threats for some time. He had reported that he had been receiving threats and his security had been increased.”Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident and sought a report from the Additional IG Karachi. He asked the Additional IG to determine whether it was an incident of targeted killing or not. Shah also ordered the immediate arrest of the perpetrators.
03-23-2019, 10:17 AM
Taqi Usmani unhurt in assassination bid
العرض الشجري