Sufi singer shot dead by extremists in Pakistan

The two were rushed to hospital, where Sabri succumbed to his injuries. The outfit’s spokesperson Qari Saifullah Mehsud said it killed Sabri because he was a “blasphemer”.

“Amjad Sabri expired on the way to the hospital”, police surgeon Rohina Hasan said. Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has strongly condemned the terrorist attack. He had said he would take legal action. Sabri’s mother told Al Jazeera that earlier this year, unknown assailants had attacked their home in search of the singer. “We have always pointed out that Karachi has many domains of extremist elements”.

The Hakimullah Mehsud faction, a splinter group of the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the murder. This program was aimed at apprehending suspected militants and violent criminals.

Separately, authorities also say they do not know the whereabouts of a son of the chief justice of the Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital city.

In April a year ago, prominent activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot and killed while travelling in her auto.

Tributes have flown in since Sabri’s death, with the speaker of Pakistan’s parliament Ayaz Sadiq writing “Totally shocked to hear the news of #AmjadSabri”.

Islamabad high Court in 2014 issued a blasphemy notice for Amjad Sabri and two others Quwwali singers for playing Quwwali song during a morning show. Many considered this to be offensive and blasphemous.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Sabri family at this time.

Pakistani investigators and journalists gather around the blood-stained vehicle of famous Sufi singer Amjad Sabri after Wednesday’s attack.

The murder prompted an outpouring of grief across Pakistan and around the world for a man hailed as one of the best performers of Qawwalis, or devotional songs steeped in mysticism.

The music tradition dates back several centuries, and began as a spiritual music performance at Sufi shrines around Punjab.

Sufism, a tolerant, mystical practice of Islam, has millions of followers in Pakistan – but in recent years has come under attack from Sunni extremists.