KARACHI: A politician was shot dead in Karachi in the second such killing in a week, police said yesterday, fuelling fears that violence may overshadow general polls expected in May.
Mian Taimur was a leader in the southern province of Sindh for the Pakistan Muslim League-N, the main opposition party led by former premier Nawaz Sharif.
“Mian Taimur and his father died when gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on their vehicle,” police said.
The attack took place in the upscale neighbourhood of Defence. Taimur was the party’s deputy secretary in Sindh, of which Karachi is the capital.
Police said nine others, including a doctor, were shot dead in the city in the past 24 hours.
In Peshawar, unknown gunmen killed four people after ambushing a house in Gul Bagh area in Budh Bair. Four, belonging to Khyber Agency, died on the spot. They had recently shifted to Peshawar.
A case was registered on the request of victims’ relative, Muhammad Rehman.
Meanwhile, unidentified militants blew up a public primary school in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Police said a bomb planted by vandals went off, destroying two classrooms and partially damaging parts of the building. No casualties were reported.
On Monday, unknown militants blew up a preparatory junior school in the northwest.
Last Thursday Manzar Imam, a provincial MP of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement which is a coalition partner in government, was killed with three of his guards in Karachi.
Agencies
