Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Top Pakistani Sunni Muslim Cleric Assassinated

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - Police in southern Pakistan say a prominent Islamic leader
   and his driver have been shot to death in a suspected sectarian attack.

   Maulana Adil Khan, the slain cleric, was returning from a public event
   Saturday night when gunmen on a motorbike sprayed his car with bullets
   in a market area in Karachi.

   Khan, a scholar from the Sunni Deobandi sect, was running a major
   Islamic seminary, known as Jamia Farooqia, in the largest Pakistani
   city of 15 million people.

   For years, Karachi has been the scene of political, sectarian and
   militant violence that has left thousands of people dead. However,
   officials say years of sustained security operations have improved the
   situation in the port city, though isolated attacks still take place.

   Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned Saturday's slaying of the cleric
   and blamed rival India for trying to fuel sectarian conflict in
   Pakistan.

   "My govt has known & I have repeatedly stated this on TV, since last 3
   months India's attempts to target kill Aalims [scholars] from Sunni &
   Shia sects to create sectarian conflict across the country," Khan said
   via Twitter.

.