KHUSHAB: The funeral prayers for Malik Imran Hanif, the bank manager who was killed by a security guard, were held in Khushab on Thursday.
His funeral was led by Maulana Izhar Hussain who termed his murder “unjust”. In his sermon, the prayer leader told people to seek God’s forgiveness because the bank manager was innocent.
According to Maulana Hussain, the people gathered around the security guard and kissed his hands after he murdered the bank manager because they thought he [the manager] had committed blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). But, he added, it later turned out that that wasn’t the case.
The prayer leader asked people to raise their hands to declare that the slain bank manager was innocent.
The bank manager was shot dead by a security guard in Khushab on Wednesday. He told the police that he murdered him because of blasphemy.
CCTV footage showed Hanif working at his desk when the attacker, Ahmed Nawaz, comes to him and sits at a bench reserved for clients. Another guard walks in and stands next to Hanif’s desk.
Then suddenly, Nawaz gets up, points a gun at Hanif and opens fire. By the time the second guard reacts to restrain Nawaz, he had already fired three shots.
A number of people gathered outside grabbed Nawaz and handed him over to the police. Hanif was taken to hospital where he died.
According to Khushab District Police Officer Tariq Wilayat, Nawaz claimed that he shot Hanif because he was an Ahmadi and had blasphemed against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The DPO added that it was too early to say if this was the motive.
Hanif’s brother registered an FIR under Section 324 (attempted murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code against the guard. He stated that Hanif and Nawaz had been quarrelling for a while. “The guard used to come late to work over which Hanif scolded him and called him out,” his statement said.
Hanif’s uncle told media that Nawaz had killed Hanif over personal grievances. “He’s using blasphemy charges to protect himself. My nephew never insulted the Prophet (PBUH) and we have no connection with Ahmadis.”
