An activist of banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) was gunned down in Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, while a bullet-riddled body was found from a graveyard in Peerabad area on Sunday.

Tariq Gilani, 34, was targeted near Baitul Muqaram Masjid on main University Road in Aziz Bhatti police limits in the wee hours of Sunday.

According to SHO Safdar Mashwani, Tariq Gilani was a keeper of the Baitul Muqaram Masjid and also residing there. He had left the mosque to purchase some items and after he covered some distance, two unidentified men riding a motorcycle came across him and sprayed him bullets. He was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) where he expired during treatment.

He received five bullets of 9mm pistol on various parts of his body.

He was an active member of the banned SSP and his murder was described as target killing.

Later, tension gripped the area as armed men resorted to aerial firing and forced the traders to close their businesses. The party activists and leaders also reached the hospital where they lodged protest against the continuous target killing of their workers and sympathisers and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

Meanwhile, the bullet-riddled body of an unidentified man was found from Paracha Graveyard in Peerabad police area. It was moved to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) for legal formalities.

According to Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Rustam Nawaz of Peerabad Division, the deceased was apparently kidnapped by unidentified criminals who tortured him to death and dumped his body in the graveyard.

The deceased received four bullet wounds on his upper torso and he remained unidentified till the filing of this report. Police were yet to ascertain the motive behind the killing.