Prominent Shi'ite Muslim shot dead in Karachi

A prominent Shiite Muslim was gunned down in Pakistan’s violent port city of Karachi today, the second killing of a minority Shiite Muslim in as many weeks.

Syed Zaffar Hussain, 50, director of research with the ministry of defence, was shot and killed as he stepped out of his home in a central neighbourhood of Karachi, police said, adding that they suspect militant Sunni Muslims were behind the slaying.