ISLAMABAD, Jan. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- The Pakistani Shiite leader who had been injured in an attack in the country's northern areas diedin a military hospital early Thursday, a spokesman of a Shiite group said.

    "Agha Ziauddin passed away at 6:30 a.m.," the local news agencyNews Network International on Tuesday quoted Jalil Naqvi, spokesman for the Shiite group Millat-e-Jafria, as saying.

    Jalil said Agha Ziauddin Rizvi was to be operated upon Thursdayevening for the second time.

    Unidentified gunmen opened fire at the cleric Ziauddin Moosavi Rizvi and injured him on Jan. 8 when he was on the way to a mosquein Gilgit, about 250 kilometers north of Islamabad. Then he was shifted to a military hospital in Rawalpindi in critical condition.

    His security guard was killed in the attack and one of the attackers was killed in the return fire by Rizvi's guards.

    Minister for Northern Areas Faisal Saleh Hayat said investigation is on to ascertain the killers' identity, adding that the incident was not of sectarian nature and termed it an actof terrorism.

    Army troops were called out and curfew clamped after 15 people were killed in violence following an attempt to kill Rizvi.

    Angry demonstrators also set afire government buildings and cars after the incident. All roads to Gilgit were blocked and Pakistan International Airlines suspended flights to the city after the clashes. Enditem