JUI-F leader shot dead in Pakistan's Dera Ismail Khan

A local leader of hardline Islamic party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) was shot dead by an unidentified gunmen near a Mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Dera Ismail Khan district on Saturday, police said.

Maulana Attaullah Shah was taking an early morning walk on Bannu Road after offering Fajar prayers near Banu Ada area of Dera Ismail Khan when he was shot dead by unknown assailants who managed to escape the scene of the incident, the Dawn quoted police as saying.

Shah, who was serving as the khateeb (sermon-giver) of a local mosque these days, was considered to be a prominent leader of JUI Dera Ismail Khan and a close aide of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Shah's body was sent to his native village, Paniala, for the burial after District Headquarters Hospital confirmed his death.

The deceased, who is a close relative of JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, was a spiritual leader in Paniala. His funeral prayers will be held at 6 pm today.

The past few days have seen several incidents of targeted killing in Dera Ismail Khan. Four people including two policemen were killed and one civilian injured in four such incidents in a span of one week this month.