Karachi: Religious leader, four others gunned down

Tension gripped parts of Karachi on Thursday after unidentified armed men gunned down a prominent religious leader, his son and three associates.

Mufti Saeed Ahmed Jabalpuri, head of Khatm-e-Nabuwat movement, his son and three others were shot dead by assailants at Gulzar-e-Hijri area of the city, police said.

The three associates were identified as Mufti Huzaifa Jabalpuri, Mufti Qamar Zaman and Mufti Atiq-ur-Rehman.

As the news of the killing spread, angry followers burnt tyres and pelted stones at vehicles, senior police official Javed Mahar said, adding incidents of firing were also reported in some places.

Meanwhile, airport security force arrested two persons boarding a domestic flight after a pistol and ammunition was recovered from their hand baggage.

Another armed man was held from parking lot of the airport, forcing authorities to issue a red alert.