Advocate Mir Nawaz, gunned down late on Saturday, was laid to rest in Gilgit on Sunday in the presence of thousands of mourners.
An advocate by profession, the 50-year-old PPP stalwart had been an active member of the party throughout his career.
Traffic on roads remained low and all major markets were closed as protesters demanding the arrest of the killers. They blocked roads over an hour.
“We want exemplary punishment for the killers,” the protesters chanted.
Mohammad Haiz, a police official in Cantt Police Station, said that they had made two arrests so far and were investigating.
Mir Nawaz was a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and was shot dead on Shaheed-e-Millat Road in Gilgit at around 9:00 pm on Saturday. He was fired upon by unidentified persons riding a motor bike, family sources claimed, adding that he was taken to the nearby hospital where he succumb to the injuries.
His family had previously been attacked in the same locality. Police stepped up security in the town in an attempt to maintain peace.
Last month, unidentified men shot and injured two senior PML-N leaders in Gilgit, triggering a fresh wave of violence between rival groups.
Chief Minster Mehdi Shah offered his condolence on the death of the PPP stalwart. “Mir Nawaz was a committed leader of the party and his sacrifices will always be remembered,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2011.
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