Four killed in firing in Pakistani city

ISLAMABAD: At least four persons were killed on Sunday when gunmen opened fire in the funeral of a university professor, who was shot dead by unidentified men in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, a senior police officer said.

Prof Nazakat Ali Emrani was killed in the city of Dera Ismail Khan on Saturday when he was heading to his residence from Gomal University.

No one had claimed responsibility for the killing but the police linked the murder to sectarianism.

Police officer Hamaad Abid said that unidentified gunmen opened fire in the funeral of Emrani injuring eight people. Four later died in the hospital, he said.

Abid said that security personnel of the mobile unity had been on high alert and they chased the gunmen and arrested two of them. Search operation for the other two is continuing.

He, however, did not say anything about identity of the arrested men.

Sources said that police conducted raids at the houses of activists of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba group and arrested several people.

Angry people staged rallies across the city against the murder and pelted stones at banks and shops, causing damage to the buildings. They burnt tyres at different areas in the city.

All major markets were shut to protest the killing. Witnesses said police fired in the air to disperse the demonstrators.

Police stepped up security in the city to check any backlash of the professor killing.