Unknown assailants gunned down senior JUI-F leader and former senator Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro in Sukkur on Saturday. The early morning attack took place when Soomro, who was the secretary-general for the Sindh chapter of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl), was leaving a mosque after offering Fajr prayers.The assailants, four in number, entered the area in a white car. Targeting only Dr Khalid Soomro, one of them sprayed bullets on him from a Kalashnikov, city police chief Sohail told reporters. Dr Soomro was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries before any medical assistance could be provided to him.
Soomro was in Sukkur to participate in a conference when the attack took place in the Khosa Goth area. He had also scheduled Nikah ceremony of his son later in the afternoon.
Dr Soomro, who held important positions in his party, hailed from Sindh's Larkana region. He leaves behind a wife, six sons and three daughters.
Dr Soomro had survived three earlier attempts while JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has escaped attacks on him in the recent years.
Following the assassination of Soomro, the JUI-F chief said the murder of his party's secretary-general was an act of terrorism.
"The government should order and ensure a thorough investigation into the attack and punish those responsible," Fazl said.
The assassination was also condemned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as well as Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain.
Police have prepared a report which revealed that the assailants arrived in three cars and entered from the back gate. Witnesses at the scene have been questioned and police have recorded their statements.
It is not yet known whether Dr Soomro had been receiving threats or if he had any enmity with any persons.