Pakistan’s military intelligence agencies will investigate the murder of a human rights activist, shot after she hosted a talk on disappearances and killings in Baluchistan province where the army is fighting separatists, the military said yesterday.

Sabeen Mahmud (picture), was leaving her Karachi cafe, where she holds art exhibitions and talks, when gunman on a motorcycle attacked her on Friday evening. Her mother, who was with her, was wounded, police said.

Military spokesman Asim Bajwal condemned the killing in a message on his Twitter feed and said the intelligence agencies had been tasked to help investigators apprehend the perpetrators.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the US embassy in Islamabad also condemned the killing.

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