Religious cleric Muhammad Ali Mirza survives attack in Jhelum

JHELUM: Religious cleric and lecturer Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza survived an attack by an unidentified man in Jhelum on Sunday, police said, while the assailant was killed in retaliatory firing.

Mirza, who is known for delivering religious lectures on social media, has more than 3.1 million followers on his YouTube channel. The attack took place outside the Quran & Sunnat Research Academy, where he delivers lectures.

Jhelum police spokesperson Kashif Kiani said a man carrying a 9mm pistol arrived at the premises, lay down on the ground and opened fire. According to Jhelum Senior Superintendent of Police Chaudhry Shafiq, police returned fire, killing the attacker at the scene.

The senior police officer said Mirza remained safe and was not injured in the incident. Kiani also confirmed that a policeman assigned to the cleric’s security detail was wounded during the attack.

The injured constable suffered a gunshot wound to his foot and was shifted to Jhelum District Headquarters Hospital. His condition was said to be out of danger.

SSP Shafiq said the security personnel deployed at the time of the attack were active and that security arrangements would be strengthened further. He added that help from the National Database & Registration Authority (Nadra) would be sought to establish the identity of the attacker.

Previous attacks and background

Mirza has faced attacks before. Earlier this year, he was also attacked. He had previously survived an assassination attempt in Jhelum in March 2021.

Police said the motive behind Sunday’s attack was not immediately clear. Mirza has in the past been detained over his remarks and has also been barred from delivering speeches in an effort to avert possible violence.

Authorities are continuing efforts to determine the identity of the attacker and examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.