PESHAWAR: Gunmen killed a trader from Shia community and injured a passerby at the busy commercial area of Parda Bagh near Bacha Khan Chowk on Friday morning.

The police identified the deceased as Siraj Hussain of Imamia Colony in Gulbahar area and the injuredperson as Waheed Murad of Sahab Baba area.

An official of the Faqirabad police station said two men riding a motorcycle opened fire at the Shia trader when he was busy shopping along with friends.

He said the trader was shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital, where he succumbed to critical injuries.

`Friends of the deceased returned fire but attackers fled. However, we don`t know if any of them was injured. We are searching for attackers,` the official said.

Later, members of Shia community led by Muzaffar Ali Akhunzada and Irshad Hussain Bangash blockedthe GT Road against the killing.

Shouting slogans against the police over the growing violence against themin the city, they warned they would agitate if killers were not arrested.

Meanwhile, Irshad Hussain Bangash, a spokesman for Masjlis-iWahdat Muslimeen, told Dawn that the provincial government had promised crackdown on violence against members of Shia community, but the promise turned out to be false.

`Currently, we have focused our attention on Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and cannot launch a protest movement.

However, we will not remain silentin future,` he said.

Bangash urged the government to ensure the immediate end to targeted killings, especially that of Shias.

63 OUTLAWS HELD: The local police on Friday claimed they had arrested 63 criminals, including 12 proclaimed offenders, and seized unlicensed weapons and ammunitions, in different parts of the city.

A spokesman for the police said 16 of the arrested men were Afghan nationals, who were taken into custody for illegal stay in the country.

He said the police recovered 53 pistols and two Kalashnikovs from criminals.