LAHORE: Muttahida Qaumi Movement MNA Tahira Asif who was critically injured in a gun attack here on Wednesday died at Jinnah Hospital late on Thursday night.

Head of Anaesthesia department and incharge of Intensive Care Unit Prof Dr Noman Ahmad confirmed her death.

Police have registered a case against two unidentified ‘target killers’, but there has been no progress in investigation.

A senior doctor disclosed that Ms Tahira had received four bullets — one pierced into urinary bladder and made a big hole and three hit lower parts of her body.

An initial police inquiry had reported two bullet injuries.

Dr Noman Ahmad told Dawn that the massive loss of blood created complications. Twenty litres of blood was transfused.

According to him, a team of senior doctors of various disciplines, including professor of surgery Dr Haroon Javed, gynaecologist Prof Dr Asifa Bajwa, vascular surgeon Dr Mohammad Zahid, conducted complicated procedure.

Dr Noman said eight-hour long surgery performed immediately after Ms Tahira was brought to the hospital.

“We tried to repair the urinary bladder but with little relief to the patient,” he said. But massive bleeding continued.

About the major cause of massive and uncontrolled bleeding, he said several major vessels had ruptured and senior surgeons tried to repair them.

Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered under Section 324/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act on the complaint of Ms Tahira’s daughter Anahtiya Asif.

According to the FIR, Ms Tahira left her Wafaqi Colony residence for Islamabad when two men on a motorcycle intercepted her car near Karim Block and attacked her. They fired a volley of bullets.

Iqbal Town Division Investigation SP Tariq Mehmood told Dawn that police were investigating the case from different angles. The record traced by police on Thursday showed that Ms Tahira had lodged two cases against some persons after a minor row while one case was registered against her. He said police were examining the record to know the nature of the row and seriousness of the issue.

He said the data of Ms Tahira’s cellphone record was being analysed to know the nature of recent calls she had received.

But the SP added police had not found any clue which could lead them to the attackers.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2014