Gunmen kill ASWJ leader in Lahore

LAHORE: Gunmen shot dead Shamsur Rehman Muawiya, chief of Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jammat (ASWJ) for Punjab province Friday in the latest sectarian attack to hit Pakistan´s eastern city of Lahore.

"Two gunmen riding a motorbike opened fire on Muawiya´s vehicle, wounding him and his driver critically," senior local police official, Rana Abdul Jabbar, told AFP.

He said Muawiya and his driver were rushed to hospital where the ASWJ provincial chief died of his bullet wounds.

"We are investigating the incident but it apparently seems to be a target killing," Jabbar added.

The ASWJ spokesman Qasim Farooqi confirmed the incident and said the provincial chief was on his way to a meeting when the attack took place.

The driver remains in a critical condition, Jabbar said.

Up to 500 enraged protestors gathered in the central Anarkali neighbourhood Friday evening and burnt tyres, the official said.

"We ordered shops in and around Anarkali area to be closed in order to prevent any loss to public property as the demonstrators got violent," he added.

The ASWJ announced that funeral prayers for the slain Sunni leader will be held in Lahore on Saturday afternoon.