A gunman who opened fire outside the Quran and Sunnah Academy of religious scholar Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza in Jhelum was killed in a police response on Sunday, while the scholar remained unharmed, officials said.
According to police, the incident occurred during Engineer Mirza’s routine lecture at the academy when an unidentified assailant resorted to indiscriminate firing outside the premises.
A police constable, identified as Ahsan, sustained a bullet injury to his leg during the attack and was shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. No other casualties were reported.
Officials said a prompt police response led to an exchange of fire in which the attacker was neutralised, averting what could have been a major loss of life.
Syed Khalid Mahmood Hamdani, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Rawalpindi, took immediate notice of the incident and sought a detailed report. He also directed authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and identify any facilitators involved.
Law enforcement agencies have begun collecting evidence from the scene, while security in the area has been heightened. Additional personnel have been deployed at sensitive locations to maintain law and order.
Officials noted that this was not the first such incident involving the scholar. In February this year, he narrowly escaped an attack when a suspect attempted to target him during a photo session at the same academy. The accused was subsequently arrested.
The suspect had also been detained in August last year under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (3-MPO) ordinance and was later released on bail in December.
