AJK speaker unhurt in gun attack

ISLAMABAD:

The convoy of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly speaker, Chaudhry Latif Akbar, came under attack on Sunday, causing injuries to two people. The speaker, however, remained unharmed.

Akbar, who belongs to the PPP, was going to his constituency, Khawara, in the outskirts of Muzaffarabad to attend a political meeting when the incident took place. The injured PPP workers who were travelling with the speaker were later shifted to a hospital for medical treatment.

Talking to Express News over telephone, Chaudhry Latif Akbar said he had been receiving threats from his opponents on social media for the last three days and had intimated police and relevant authorities about them but no action was taken.

Tensions escalated following the attack, leading to an exchange of gunfire between the police and a group of Muslim Conference workers, who allegedly carried out the attack.

AC Rural Hammad Bashir said a small group fired shots and pelted stones at the speaker's convoy.

"A PPP worker sustained injuries from a bullet and another from a stone. Efforts are underway to apprehend the assailants, who also started firing at the police. Fortunately, no significant damage has been reported so far. The administration is taking steps to control the situation," he said.

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the incident of firing on the speaker's motorcade. He said the attack was a cowardly and evil act. He prayed for the recovery of the persons injured in the attack.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also strongly condemned the firing incident. He directed the relevant authorities to ensure the swift arrest of the attackers.