QUETTA: A senior leader of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Agha Khalid Shah, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Quetta on Saturday, while his cousin was injured in the attack.

Police officials said the incident occurred in the Killi Geo area on Kirani Road when armed attackers on motorcycles opened fire on Mr Shah and his cousin as they passed through the area. Both men sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

“Agha Khalid Shah and his cousin were both critically injured in the attack,” a police official said, adding that they were rushed to Civil Hospital Quetta, where Mr Shah later died of wounds.

The attackers fled the scene immediately after the shooting. The injured man, identified as Gharib Shah, remains hospitalised.

Police launch manhunt for attackers

Agha Khalid Shah was a senior BNP-M figure and a member of the party’s central committee. Police have not yet determined the motive behind the attack. “We are investigating the tragic incident,” a senior police officer said, adding that efforts were underway to trace the perpetrators.

Mr Shah’s body was handed over to his family after the completion of medico-legal formalities.

Upon hearing of the attack, a large number of BNP workers and supporters gathered at the hospital to mourn the loss of their leader.

Ghulam Nabi Marri, a member of BNP’s Central Executive Committee and president of the party’s Quetta chapter, announced that Mr Shah’s funeral prayers would be held on Sunday (today) at Killi Geo.

Mr Marri condemned the killing, stating that the party would not forget Mr Shah’s sacrifices. He also called for the immediate arrest of the attackers and their swift prosecution.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...