Deadly attack: ANP leader among two gunned down by opponents

Former nazim Gul Hameed reportedly killed over blood feud.

KATLANG:

Two people, including Awami National Party (ANP) leader Gul Hameed Khattak, were gunned down in Katlang area of Mardan district on Friday, while another activist was also injured in the firing.

Jabar police official Shafi Rahman said former nazim of Sawal Dher union council and ANP president of PK-29 Gul Hameed was returning from a funeral in Katlang along with Nasrullah Khan and Arshad Khan when their vehicle was ambushed by opponents in Sawal Dher area.

Rahman said police officials rushed to the site and shifted all three men, who were critically injured, to Mardan Medical Complex where Hameed and Nasrullah succumbed to their injuries. Arshad survived and was shifted to the operation theatre in critical condition.

The police official said Hameed was shot multiple times, adding they recovered bullet shells fired from AK-47s and pistols from the site of the incident. He maintained a pistol in Hameed’s pocket also went off accidentally during the incident, injuring him.

Rahman said Hameed’s family members have filed a case against Hamid Shah and Mushtaq, residents of Sawal Dher. He added initial investigations revealed a blood relative of the accused was murdered two years ago and suspected Hameed may have been killed to avenge the death.

The houses of the accused were raided soon after, but they had managed to flee before the police arrived.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2013.