vice-president of cricketer Imran Khan's party shot dead

A senior female Pakistani politician has been shot dead in the southern port city of Karachi.

Zahra Shahid Hussain was the senior vice-president of Pakistan's Movement for Justice party (PTI), led by former international cricketer Imran Khan.
She was killed by gunmen on a motorcycle outside her home in the city's upmarket Defence neighbourhood.

The reason for the shooting is unclear.

PTI leader Imran Khan took to Twitter to blame Altaf Hussain, the London-based leader of Karachi's dominant MQM party for her murder - a claim the party has strongly denied.

Mr Khan said Mr Hussain had "openly threatened PTI workers and leaders through public broadcasts".

Mr Khan, a former cricketer, said he also held the UK government responsible, as he had already given a warning about the MQM leader's remarks.

The MQM condemned the murder and described Imran Khan's allegations as "immature".

Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, citing police, said the shooting happened during an attempted robbery.

But Local PTI leader Firdous Shamim told AFP news agency that Ms Hussain "was leaving her home for work when three gunmen attacked her. She thought they wanted to snatch her purse and handed it over to them but they killed her".

Ms Hussain was reportedly rushed to hospital but succumbed to her injuries on the way.
Source: BBC Posted by Unknown 5/19/2013