A Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Noorul Hadi Haqqani was seriously wounded when unidentified persons sprayed him with bullets at Barra in Khyber. Haqqani, who is also a member of the JUI-F’s Majlis-e-Shoora (Barra chapter), was shifted to a hospital in Peshawar. It merits mention here that the latest attack on a JUI-F leader cannot be looked at in isolation as on March 7, a party leader was murdered in a targeted attack in the Malikabad area of Turbat district.

The deceased was identified as Mufti Shahmeer. Unidentified armed motorcyclists opened fire at him as he was leaving the mosque after offering Tarawih prayers. Mufti Shahmeer sustained serious wounds and was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Officials stated that the motive behind the killing remained unclear, and the attackers managed to flee the scene.  An investigation was underway to apprehend those responsible, they added. Eyewitnesses reported that the attack appeared to be highly organized, with the assailants lying in ambush.

Notably, Balochistan is witnessing a surge in targeted killings as just earlier this month two leaders of JUI-F Balochistan were killed in Khuzdar district. Last year, in another tragic incident, the party leader was shot dead on the National Highway in Naseerabad.As per details, the police officials stated that the incident occurred when JUI leader Mir Aslam Khan Umrani was on his way to Dera Murad Jamali. The unidentified assailants opened fire on the Umrani’s vehicle, resulting in his death on the spot.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)