PESHAWAR: Independent candidate for the Feb 8 general elections from PK-104, Malik Kaleemullah Khan along with his two guards were killed in an attack on his vehicle in Tappi area of Miranshah in North Waziristan on Wednesday, the police confirmed.
North Waziristan District Police Officer (DPO) Rohan Zeb confirmed that Kaleemullah was on his way back home from Miranshah when his convoy was attacked by unknown assailants.
“Two of his bodyguards were also killed in the firing,” the official added.
The victims were identified as Malik Kaleemullah, his two guards – Masroor, and Muhammad Sakhi. Kaleemullah was an independent candidate for the upcoming elections from PK-104 constituency and his started his election campaign, local police informed.
The police suspected that it was targeted killing incident and launched further investigation. The bodies have been transferred to Miranshah Hospital for medico-legal formalities.
The law enforcement authorities are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack to bring the perpetrators to the book.
In a separate incident on Wednesday, former senator and PML-N leader Aslam Buledi was injured in firing in Balochistan’s Turbat. He is contesting for the polls from NA-258.
Kech Superintendent of Police (SP) Zia Mandokhail confirmed the incident and informed Buledi was walking in a park when unknown persons opened fire and wounded him.
The official said Buledi sustained bullet injuries — one on the shoulder and the other on his foot. He has been moved to the District Headquarters Hospital Turbat.
In a statement issued immediately after the attack, caretaker Balochistan Chief Minister Ali Mardan Domki strongly condemned the incident and summoned a report from the interior department.
CM Domki vowed that all resources would be used to arrest culprits involved in the attack. He also directed officials to provide foolproof security to all electoral candidates in the province.
Further, he prayed for Buledi’s speedy recovery and instructed that the PML-N leader be provided with the best medical facilities.
Meanwhile, in a post on X, former Balochistan CM Jam Kamal Khan condemned the incident. “Through such cowardly actions, miscreants want to sabotage the electoral process in Balochistan by spreading fear and panic,” he said, adding that such elements would only face failure.
تربت میں قومی اسمبلی کے حلقہ این اے 258 سے مسلم لیگ ن کے امیدوار اسلم بلیدی پر قاتلانہ حملے کی مذمت کرتے ہیں.
اس طرح کی بزدلانہ کاروائیوں کے ذریعے شرپسند عناصر خوف وہراس پھیلا کر بلوچستان میں انتخابی عمل کو سبوتاژ کرنا چاہتے ہیں جس میں انہیں ناکامی کا سامنا کرنا پڑے گا۔
— Jam Kamal Khan, Federal Minister Commerce, Pak (@jam_kamal) January 10, 2024
In response to the tragic event, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released a statement asserting that the untimely demise of the PK-104 Miranshah candidate, Malik Kaleemullah, would not disrupt the overall election process.
Following the sad incident, the ECP spokesperson clarified that, under Section 73, the election is only postponed if a candidate, actively involved in the election campaign, meets an unfortunate end.
The spokesperson highlighted the significance of candidates officially joining the electoral process by submitting Form 33, after which they are issued election symbols. This marks their formal participation in the election process, and any impact on the candidacy, such as the death of a candidate, triggers specific protocols outlined by the electoral regulations.
