Rehan Zeb Khan, an independent candidate backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was fatally shot in the Siddiqabad area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district on Wednesday.
According to the local police, unidentified armed assailants opening fire on vehicle of Rehan when he was engaged with the constituents.
The sources said Rehan was rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Four other individuals were also injured in the attack.
The incident was termed a “targeted killing,” by the authorities that initiated a search operation in the region.
This unfortunate incident occurred just a day after a bomb blast at a PTI rally in Balochistan’s Sibi claimed four lives and left six others wounded.
PTI, in a strong condemnation of the killing, asserted that Rehan was a “party-backed candidate for a National Assembly seat.” Expressing concern over what it termed “terrorist attacks” targeting PTI-affiliated candidates and public gatherings, the party questioned the fairness of the upcoming polls.
Blaming the caretaker government for the recent wave of violence, PTI demanded an immediate and thorough investigation into the attack, emphasizing the need for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
The party also urged heightened security for all PTI-backed candidates participating in the elections and called upon the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take serious note of the incident.
Accusing the caretaker government of favoring a specific political party, PTI underscored the need for the chief justice of Pakistan to intervene and address both the recent assassination and the Sibi rally blast.
The ECP, taking cognizance of the incident, called for a report from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary and police chief, emphasizing the need for prompt punishment for those responsible.
In a subsequent media briefing, the caretaker chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa acknowledged security concerns in certain areas while affirming the government’s readiness for the upcoming general elections.
He directed the KP police chief to submit a comprehensive report on the incident within three days.
