KHAIRPUR Allama Ali Sher Hyderi, chief patron of the Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat Pakistan and a leader of the now defunct Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, and his driver were gunned down here on Sunday night.

A companion of the religious leader was injured. One of the attackers was killed by Allama Hyderi's guards.

Allama Hyderi, 46, was returning to Khairpur along with his supporters after attending a religious gathering in Dost Mohammad Abro village when he came under fire at about 2am near Sim Nala on the Ahmedpur-Khairpur road in Pir Jo Goth area.

The Allama and Naat Khwan Imtiaz Phulpoto, who was driving the vehicle, were killed on the spot.

Their bodies were handed over to relatives and followers after post-mortem in the Khairpur Civil Hospital.

Thousands of people from different parts of the country attended their funeral led by Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Ludhianvi in Jamia Hydria in the evening.

Allama Hyderi was born in 1963 in Janwari Mohalla of Khairpur. He attended the Government Primary School in Azam Colony and the Government Naz Pilot High School in Khairpur.

Later, he got went to different madressahs, including Kolab Jiyal in Therhi, Larkana.

He became the chief patron of the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan and after the SSP was banned he headed the Millat-i-Islamia Pakistan and when that was also proscribed he became the chief of the Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat Pakistan.

He was jailed several times. Allam Haideri is survived by two wives.

According to agencies, the killing sparked a partial strike in various parts of Sindh, protests in several cities and towns of Punjab and rioting in Karachi where mobs burnt a bus and a car and fired into the air.

'A police official and two other people were injured by armed men,' Karachi police chief Waseem Ahmad told AFP.

He said police had arrested seven men belonging to the SSP from a mosque and seized weapons and ammunition.

Another police official said all shops and business establishments were shut in Khairpur district.

Our Correspondent in Gilgit adds

At least five people were injured when hundreds of protesters clashed with a group here.

'Five people suffered bullet injuries and two of them were admitted to hospital,' District Magistrate Asad Zamin told Dawn.

He said there was a clash but law-enforcement personnel brought the situation under control. A police officer said cases had been registered and some of the protesters and the attackers.