K-P Assembly loses second lawmaker in three weeks

Independent MPA Imran Mohmand was attending a funeral when he was targeted.

PESHAWAR: It is a tough beginning for the incumbent Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, which lost its second member to violence within three weeks of its existence.

Independent MPA Imran Mohmand from PK-27 was killed in a suicide attack targeting him at a funeral procession he was attending in Shergarh, Mardan. At least 26 people were killed and 57 injured in the incident till this report was filed.

On June 3, MPA Farid Khan was shot dead by unidentified militants in Hangu district. When the assembly met for its provincial budget on Monday it offered prayers for their slain colleague. It seems the debate on the provincial budget starting Thursday will also begin with another condolence reference.

Mohmand was a former member of the Awami National Party (ANP) and was elected twice as nazim in 2001 and 2005 from Jalala Union Council.

“The federal and provincial government’s lack of seriousness about negotiations with the Taliban will take more innocent lives,” said ANP’s district secretary general and a close friend Imran Mandoori.

Mohmand had submitted wan application for a party ticket a month before elections. “Mohmand had decided to participate in the elections very late and so could not contest on a party ticket,” Mandoori added.

The deceased MPA defeated Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates and secured the PK-27 seat with 13,404 votes.



Unlike the majority of independents who joined the PTI after their electoral victory, Mohmand extended his support to the K-P ruling coalition as an independent member.

Also condemning the attack, PTI chairman Imran Khan on social media site Twitter termed the event “truly shocking”.

Another friend and former ANP MNA Himayatullah Mayar expressed his condolences to the family and said Mohmand was a brave and courageous man. “He would openly condemn terrorism,” Mayar said, adding: “We have lost another great leader committed to working for the uplift and prosperity of the province.”

Hailing from Shamilat, Shergah, Mohmand received his primary education from government primary school, Shamilat and attended secondary school at government high school, Hathian. After completing his intermediate from government degree college Lond Khawar, Imran left his education due to financial constraints. He leaves behind two daughters and one son.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2013.