QUETTA, April 5 A senior official of the Sui Southern Gas Company was killed and his driver injured when some armed men opened fire on their car in Satellite Town area of the city on Monday.

According to police, SSGC's chief manager (billing) Khalid Malik was going to his office along with the driver when the armed men on motorbike opened fire on the car near Goal Masjid.

Mr Malik received many bullets and was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The driver, identified as Mohammad Naseem, was admitted to the Civil Hospital.

Police said that it was an incident of target killing.

The assailants escaped after committing the crime.

A spokesman for the Baloch Liberation Army, Meerak Baloch, claimed responsibility for the attack.

A large number of employees of the company gathered on the Zarghoon road along with the body of Mr Malik.

When they tried to proceed to the Balochistan Assembly, which was in session, police erected barricades to stop them.

The protesters raised slogans against the provincial government.

They pelted police with stones and tried to remove the barricades. However, police blocked their way and lobbed teargas to disperse them.

Eyewitnesses said that police also fired bullets, injuring a man who was admitted to the Civil Hospital.

Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani condemned the killing of SSGC officer and said all steps would be taken to arrest the accused.

TRAILER ATTACKED A driver was killed and another man injured when unidentified gunmen attacked a trailer near Wadh area of Khuzdar district on Monday.

Sources said the trailer was carrying supplies for Nato forces in Afghanistan and was going to the border town of Chaman.

Police said the trailer was damaged in the attack.

The body and the injured were taken to the Khuzdar civil hospital.