KARACHI: Another Awami National Party district west chief was killed in a targeted attack nearly two months after the party had lost its district leadership, said police and party sources on Monday.

They added that 40-year-old Saifullah Khan was believed to have been gunned down by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan as he had recently received threats from the militants.

The ANP leader was targeted in front of his son at his fuel station on Jhangvi Road by armed pillion-riders on Sunday, the police said. He sustained three gunshot wounds and was shifted to the Civil Hospital Karachi where doctors declared him dead on arrival, the police said.

Baldia SP Ejaz Hashmi said: “It appeared to be a targeted killing case. One of the attackers was wearing a helmet, while the other identified Mr Khan before attacking him.”

The police conducted targeted raids in different parts of Ittehad Town following the attack and picked up 11 suspects.

SP Hashmi said the police got some clues to the attackers from the victim’s son. The raids were conducted on the information he provided to the law enforcers.

Initial findings indicated that the banned TTP was involved in the murder of the victim due to his political association.

The deceased had become acting president of ANP district west following the murder of ANP district west president Dr Ziauddin Ismail in Orangi Town on Nov 23, 2014, said ANP spokesperson Abdul Malik.

He said Saifullah Khan had received threats from the TTP but he did not report the matter to the police station concerned.

The party spokesperson added that last year 18 leaders and workers of the ANP were gunned down in Karachi and they suspected involvement of militants in most of the cases.

Meanwhile, the family took away the body from hospital for burial in his native town in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The victims relatives said they would lodge an FIR after their return, said Ittehad Town SHO Imtiaz Mirjat.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2015

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