Peshawar/New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Qari Eijaz Abid, a close aide and relative of Pakistan-based global terrorist and founder of banned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist organisation Maulana Masood Azhar, was shot dead by "unknown men" in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's provincial capital Peshawar on March 30, the local police authorities have confirmed.

As per reports, Abid was shot dead in Pishtakhara area of Peshawar while his associate named Qari Shahid was critically injured in the targetted attack by unknown gunmen.

Pakistani media reported that Qari Eijaz Abid was part of the Ahle-e-Sunnah Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) and was the provincial head of the International Khatm-e-Nabuwat.

The local police authorities have confirmed the killing, stating that spate of targeted killings has spread across the country targetting "religious figures" particularly affiliated with the Deobandi school of thought.

However, intelligence sources have maintained that all those killed were linked to major terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Qari Eijaz Abid was believed to be a top recruiter of JeM through Ahle-e-Sunnah Wal Jamaat .

While Pakistan continues to be in a denial mode on terrorists enjoying safe haven on its soil, the killing of these individuals, many of whom were involved in terror attacks in India, nailed Islamabad's lies.

Top LeT and JeM terrorists have been shot dead in Pakistan by "unknown armed men" riding motorcycles over the past few months.

Since its formation in 2000 by Maulana Masood Azhar, JeM has carried out several terrorist attacks in India, including J&K.

JeM was enlisted as a 'Designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation' by the United Nations Security Council resolution (UNSC) and Azhar was designated as a 'global terrorist' in 2019.