JUI-F Sindh secretary general shot dead in Sukkur

Published November 29, 2014
Khalid Mehmood Soomro. — Screen grab
Khalid Mehmood Soomro. — Screen grab

KARACHI: Senior JUI-F leader Khalid Mehmood Soomro was shot dead in Sukkur on Saturday.

The early morning attack took place when Soomro, who was the secretary general for the Sindh chapter of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl), was leaving a mosque attached to a madrassah in Sukkur after offering Fajr prayers.

Armed men entered the area and opened fire at Soomro.

Soomro was in Sukkur to participate in a conference when the attack took place in the Khosa Goth area.

Soomro, who held important positions in his party, hailed from Sindh's Larkana region.

Soomro, who also represented his party in the Senate from 2006-2012, was attacked at least six times prior to Saturday's fatal one.

He leaves behind a widow, six sons and three daughters.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has escaped two fatal attacks on him in the recent years. Following the assassination of Soomro, the JUI-F chief said that the murder of his party's secretary general was an act of terrorism.

"The government should order and ensure a thorough investigation into the attack and punish those responsible," Fazl said.

The assassination was also condemned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as well as Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain.

Apart from the attacks on Soomro and party chief Fazl, JUI-F leaders have been attacked, some of them fatally, during the past few years. In September this year, senior JUI-F activist Maulana Sajidullah was shot dead in Karachi's Pirabad area.

Meanwhile, in 2012, JUI-F leader and former nazim Haji Mohammad Azeem Khan was killed when gunmen attacked his pickup in Lakki Marwat.

In 2010, JUI-F leader Mir Metha Khan Jattak, who was associated with the Nasirabad district branch of his party was killed in an attack in Tambo tehsil.

Nawaz Sharif condemns the assassination

Prime Minister Nawaz sharif called JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and offered his condolences over the assassination of party leader Dr Khalid Soomro.

Condemning the murder, the prime minister said the nation had been “deprived of a great scholar”.

He added that Soomro was a great parliamentarian and assured the JUI-F chief that "no stone would be left unturned to find those responsible for the killing".

Obaidullah Shaikh contributed to reporting.

Opinion

Editorial

Ukraine initiative
Updated 21 Feb, 2025

Ukraine initiative

Whether Trump’s Ukraine peace initiative succeeds or not, it will be difficult for Kyiv, Europe to face Russian military machine without US support.
High cost of SOEs
21 Feb, 2025

High cost of SOEs

THERE are losses and then some. The finance ministry’s latest overview of the federally owned state enterprises...
Poor impression
21 Feb, 2025

Poor impression

RECENT developments in the Senate have provided cause for concern on how parliamentary business is being conducted....
Premature alarm
Updated 20 Feb, 2025

Premature alarm

Improvement in headline inflation gives policymakers chance to fix investment policies, implement structural reforms.
Forsaken province
20 Feb, 2025

Forsaken province

AND the endless cycle of violence continues. The brutal killing on Tuesday night of seven Punjab-bound passengers in...
In poor health
20 Feb, 2025

In poor health

THE absence of decent and affordable healthcare in the country continues to ruin lives. An example of this is ...