Timeline: Political assassinations in Pakistan

The assassination of Handery Masieh today, is the latest in a series of attacks on politicians.


Web Desk June 14, 2014
National Assembly MPA Handery Masieh. PHOTO: BALOCHISTAN ASSEMBLY WEBSITE

A short timeline of targeted attacks on Pakistani politicians in the past three years.

January 4, 2011: Salmaan Taseer, former governor of Punjab, was assassinated by one of his guards in Islamabad. A member of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Taseer had opposed the blasphemy law.



Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer. PHOTO:FILE 

March 2, 2011: Former Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti was shot dead in his car in Islamabad. A Roman Catholic, Bhatti had also opposed Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy law.

December 23, 2012: Senior Awami National Party (ANP) leader and Bashir Ahmed Bilour, was killed in a suicide blast in the Qissa Khawani Bazaar area of Peshawar. The KP Minister had survived at least two assassination attempts and other acts of reprisals.



Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) senior minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour. PHOTO: FILE

May 18, 2013: Just hours before re-elections in some polling stations of NA-250, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf central vice president Zahra Shahid Hussain was shot dead outside her house in Karachi.

June 21, 2013: Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) MPA Sajid Qureshi and his son were shot dead in North Nazimabad.

January 9, 2014:  Mian Mohammad Mushtaq, a provincial leader for the secular Pashtun Awami National Party, and two of his aides were killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in Peshawar. No one has claimed responsibility for either attack.

June 14, 2014: A Christian member of the Balochistan Assembly was gunned down by his own security guard in Quetta. National Party’s Handery Masieh, 35, was reportedly shot twice outside his residence, according to reports.

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