TORONTO, 8 January 2003 — A high-profile member of the Muslim community in Canada was gunned down in Surrey near Vancouver, police said Monday night. Riasat Ali Khan, 69, who built the first mosque in the Vancouver area in 1964, was shot dead as he got out of his car in front of his home. According to eyewitnesses, Khan staggered to the door of his home. His son rushed to the gate to try and save the life of his father, who succumbed to his bullet injuries within seconds. Eyewitnesses said an older-model pickup truck, possibly a Toyota, was seen leaving the area. Police said they have no motive and no suspects in the killing. Khan’s nephew called the murder a cowardly, cold-blooded attack and said his uncle had no enemies that he knew of. The family is offering a C$50,000 reward for information on the shooting. Riasat Khan, a Pakistani Canadian, was a businessman and a great supporter of the ruling Liberal party. He was one of the founders of Pakistani-Canada Association. Khan also worked as a probation and corrections officer before going into business.
