The news of his murder spread like the jungle fire and the lawyers boycotted courts to mourn the murder of a fellow lawyer. People from all walks of life condemned the murder. The attack was so sudden and quick that his gunman could only pull Rasul Nagri's minor daughter from the front seat. The girl also sustained bullet injury.
Ejaz Rasul Nagri was going to drop his minor daughter Masooma Noor to school at about 7:30 am. He had hardly covered a distance of one furlong from his house when the lone armed terrorist intercepted his car and opened fire. In a desperate bid to escape bullets, his bodyguard Rasul Nagri faltered on the steering wheel and the car went astray sidewise after hitting a roadside pole.
The terrorist then came near the vehicle and fired at Ejaz point-blank hitting him at nine parts of his body. Masooma Noor, aged 5, whom the guard had dragged to the back seat, also had a bullet injury on her leg. Ejaz died on the spot, while the killer first fled on foot and then was picked up by his accomplice who was riding a bike.
The police high-ups reached the scene and despatched the body to the mortuary. The police also took his injured daughter to the hospital, where she is out of danger. Nagri was father of four daughters. He was the founder of Muhammad Ali Jinnah Law College. He was man of many qualities; a lawyer, a theologian, a furious speaker, a social worker and a journalist. He also worked for The News, Lahore for a few years as a special correspondent. His death has been mourned by people from all walks of life.
According to the official guard, Havaldar Imdad Hussain, Nagri was driving his car. "A young man, who was holding a bag, was standing along a pole at the Madni Road. When our car approached the pole, the man opened fire on the car. It strayed sidewise and its engine went off. The assassin came near and fired another burst onto the deceased's chest killing him on the spot," the guard said.
Imdad said he could only drag the girl behind to save her but could do nothing to intercept the assailant. He added that the melodrama ended within seconds and the killer sped away. According to Imdad, the assailant was a young man of about 25 years and had brown moustaches. The police have cordoned off the whole area to track down the killers.
Nagri had been receiving death threats from unknown callers, according to the family. The police had appointed an armed guard for his safety. His killing in the presence of official armed guard has spread a sense of insecurity among the citizenry.
TJP workers are furious over the incident, while Sipah-e-Sahaba activists have gone underground for fear of police or any reaction from the rival party. Meanwhile, Shia leaders; Ghulam Shabbir Chohan, Javed Rehan and others; have accused the Sipah-e-Sahaba for the brutal daylight murder of Rasul Nagri. The Sipah-e-Sahaba has, however, denied any involvement in the killing. The police are also examining the possibility to trace the killers through spy dogs. They have arrested the official guard. Later, the TJP workers took out a protest procession and were dispersed on firm surety by the administration and police to round up the killers.
The funeral of the assassinated leader was offered at 5:00 pm on Thursday. Principal Jamia Jafria Sh Karamat Ali Imran led the prayers, while people from all walks of life attended, prominent among whom were MNA Ghulam Dastgir Khan, Lahore High Court judge Mr Justice Tanvir Ahmed Khan, District Sessions Judge Mr Justice Shahid Mahmood Siddiqui and Commissioner Mian Muhammad Jameel. The body will be laid to rest at ancestral graveyard at Rasul Nagar.