Shoot-out: PPP leader survives gunfight, aide dies

BAHAWALNAGAR: PPP leader and ex-provincial lawmaker from South Punjab Shaukat Basra was injured while his personal assistant was killed in an exchange of fire in the Haroonabad area of Bahawalnagar.

The gun fight took place between supporters of the PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z) in Bahawalnagar's Haroonabad area which left several people, including Basra, injured.

Basra's personal assistant Imtiaz was killed in the firing. Basra was taken to hospital where his condition was said to be out of danger.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari deplored the attack. Other PPP leaders such as Qamar Zaman Kaira and Sherry Rehman strongly condemned the ‘attack’ on Basra and termed it ‘open terrorism’.

According to PPP media cell, Zardari condemned the brutal attack and called for the immediate arrest of the assailants.

“PPP holds CM Shahbaz Sharif directly responsible for this gruesome attack and demands immediate arrest of the culprits involved and to bring them to justice,” he said.

PPP Punjab staged a protest in front of the Lahore Press Club against the attack.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2017.