DHAKA: A leading Pakistani human rights activist has been killed in a drive-by shooting in Karachi after hosting a talk on allegations of torture in the province of Balochistan.

Sabeen Mehmud was shot dead as she drove home with her mother, who was also attacked.

She had been the subject of death threats before.

Tributes were paid to her on social media as soon as news of her death emerged.

Mehmud was a director of the charity The Second Floor, also known as T2F.

T2F regularly holds seminars on human rights issues. It houses a cafe and book shop where Karachi’s liberal activists and students can meet.

The seminar on torture in Balochistan was held at T2F, having been cancelled by university authorities in Lahore, where it had been due to take place in the last few weeks.

Taliban militants, Baloch separatists and other groups fight in Balochistan, which borders Iran.

Shortly after leaving the event, Mehmud and her mother were shot. Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported that Mehmud died on her way to hospital, and that she had been shot five times, says the BBC.

Dawn reported that her mother is in a critical condition in hospital.

BDST: 1156 HRS, APR 25, 2015
RR