| Maulana Salim Khatri | |
| Birth Place: | Karachi, Pakistan |
| Death Place: | New Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan |
| Nationality: | Pakistani |
| Party: | Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat |
| Occupation: | Religious scholar and leader |
| Known For: | Association with Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) |
Maulana Salim Khatri (died; 22 March 2023) was a religious leader in Pakistan. He was well known for his opinions on religion and politics, which some people found controversial. He lived his entire life in Karachi and had many followers in the city.
He was associated with the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), a religious and political organization in Pakistan and was a prominent figure in the ASWJ. He was known for his views on religion and politics.[1] Maulana Khatri was an important figure for the Sunni community in Karachi.[2]
On 22 March 2023, in Karachi, four people on two motorcycles shot Maulana Khatri five times while he was at a pan shop near his house in the area of the Bilal Colony police station in Sector 5-E of the New Karachi.[1] He was taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead. This was the second targeted killing in Karachi in two days, when a leader associated with the Sunni Ulema Council met a similar fate, being shot and killed near his home while returning from morning prayers,[3] which made people worried about the city's safety.[4]
A month later in April, Karachi police took swift action by apprehending three suspects believed to be connected to the murder. Additional Inspector General (AIG) Karachi, Javed Alam Odho, revealed that the police acted on intelligence received and organized a raid in New Karachi's Bilal Colony, successfully arresting the three individuals involved in what appeared to be a sectarian-targeted killing. Furthermore, AIG Karachi Javed Alam Odho raised concerns about a conspiracy that had been allegedly plotted during the Ramadan period, aimed at inciting sectarian violence. He went on to suggest that foreign intelligence agencies might have played a role in orchestrating such target killings within the city. [5]
The news of Khatri's demise brought a substantial gathering of ASWJ leaders and members to the hospital. They pointed fingers at 'anti-state elements' as the perpetrators of the attack and criticized the authorities for their inability to maintain law and order in the city. In response to this incident, protesters staged a demonstration that blocked the highway near the Edhi morgue at Sohrab Goth, where Khatri's body had been transported. This protest caused disruptions to traffic and concluded only after the police offered assurance that those responsible for the attack would face legal consequences.[1]
Many religious and political leaders were upset about Khatri's death. The Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat party, where Khatri was a legal advisor, blamed the government for the attack and accused for not doing enough to protect the people.[6]