January 27, 2008	Sunday	Muharram 17, 1429

KARACHI, Jan 26: A local leader of the Awami National Party was gunned down in Nazimabad on Saturday.

Haidri police said that 50-year-old Dilasa Khan and his teenaged son, Alam Zeb, were sitting at the cash counter of his restaurant Khan Hotel in Maulana Kausar Niazi Colony when they were attacked.

Witnesses said that two young motorcyclists came at Khan Hotel. One of them remained on the bike while his accomplice walked into the restaurant and placed an order for a cup of tea. At the first opportunity, they said, the man took out a pistol and opened fire on the ANP leader, who was also a member of Loya Jirga Amn Committee. The attacker also shot at Alam Zeb and fled swiftly with his accomplice on the bike. However, the boy ducked down and escaped the attack.

The fatally wounded Khan, hailing from Mohmand Agency, was rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where he succumbed to injuries shortly afterward. Hospital sources said that the victim received four bullets in his upper torso.

Police suspect that the murder of the political activist was motivated by personal feud as the younger brother of the deceased lodged an FIR and named Shahid Khan as the suspect in the report. They said that Dilasa Khan had a monetary dispute with his business partner. A Jirga (reconciliation sitting) was also held on January 20 to sort out the matter and settle dispute between the victim and his business partner.

ANP leader Amin Khattak told Dawn that Dilasa Khan was vice-president of the ANP in district central. “He was an active party member,” he added.

He demanded the immediate arrest of the suspect named in the FIR.