IED blast kills ANP district councillor in Hangu

Three others travelling with Malik Mumtaz injured in the blast in Hangu, officials confirmed

HANGU: A newly elected district councillor of the Awami National Party (ANP), Malik Mumtaz, was killed Saturday as an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Hangu district.

"Mumtaz succumbed to injuries after an IED planted on the side of the road went off, injuring three others travelling with him in the car," deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Subhan confirmed.

Read: FC personnel killed in Hangu landmine blast

Further, the official added that the injured were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital, where two of them have been declared critical.

The ANP currently has three elected members in the district, however the demise of Mumtaz has left the seat vacant.

The party has been targeted previously for its stance against terrorism as party members claim over 800 of its workers have been killed in recent years by suspected militants in various parts of the country.

Read: ANP veteran leader killed in Charsadda targeted killing spree

Earlier, armed men killed a veteran ANP leader in Charsadda after a general council was killed in the same area within a month.

Dost Muhammad Khan alias Dosti Khan, 90, belonging to the Bacha Khan family was on his way to the party’s office located in Utmanzai when armed assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire on him.

He was rushed for medical treatment but succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital.