Taliban Claim Responsibility For Assassination Of Singer

The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the death of one of Pakistan's most famous singers, Amjad Sabri, who was shot while driving his car. 

According to BBC, Sabri was shot several times by two gunmen in the southern city of Karachi and died on the way to the hospital.

Another person in the car, believed to be a relative, was also hit in the shooting and is reportedly in a critical condition.

"It was a targeted killing and an act of terrorism," senior police officer Muqaddas Haider said.

Dawn has reported that spokesperson for the TTP Hakimullah Mehsud group, Qari Saifullah Mehsud, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The two unidentified assassins reportedly pulled up next to Sabri's car on motorcycles. 

"Two riders used 30-bore pistols to shoot Sabri five times, the bullet to the head took the qawwal's life. The attackers took the Hassan Square route to escape," police said.

"We have cordoned off the area and will arrest the culprits using all our resources."

Sabri was one of the biggest figures in Qawwali, (a form of Sufi music).

The Taliban reportedly view Sufism, an Islam practice, as heretical and have been blamed for previous attacks on followers of the practice.