ANP's Mian Iftikhar Hussain arrested after killing of PTI activist

E-Paper | April 27, 2026

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain was arrested on Sunday after the killing of a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) activist in Pabbi area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Nowshera district.

A clash between activists of ANP and PTI occured outside near residence of Mian Iftikhar Hussain in Pabbi area after the Saturday night announcement of the area's results of the Local Government polls held on Saturday.

A PTI activist, identified as Habibullah, died of gunshot wounds suffered during the clash. A case was registered against the veteran ANP leader and his guards on various charges including murder and attempted murder over the complaint of the deceased's father.

Read: Six people killed in clashes during Khyber Pakhtunkhwa LG polls

The situation in the area turned tense after police arrested the former information minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

As police failed to control the situation additional contingents of security men, including Army personnel, were called in to diffuse the tension prevailing in the area.

Later during the day, the ANP leader was presented in court which remanded him in police custody for one day.

ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan talking to DawnNews said that jailing of its leaders and activists was not new to the party and the arrest of Mian Iftikhar was part of PTI's revenge tactics.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain: A profile

At least six people had died and dozens other wounded during scuffles among supporters of candidates at various polling stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The violence claimed five lives in Charsadda alone whereas 55 people were wounded in the provincial capital city of Peshawar during the largest local government elections held in Khyber Pakhtunklhwa's history. The elections were marred with brawls, chaos, violence, mismanagement and a complicated balloting process.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police registered a total of 87 First Information reports (FIRs) and arrested 197 people for violence during local government polling in the province, according to a spokesperson of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police.

The spokesperson added that 35 Ak-47 rifles, 10 shotguns, 7 repeater guns, 46 handguns and 1,830 rounds were also recovered from the arrested persons.

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Rana Asghar

May 31, 2015 11:48am

Although I am ardent supporter of PTI from Punjab, I appreciate the sacrifices of Mian Iftikhar Hussain for democracy and his stance against the terrorists. I cannot believe that the person who sacrificed his only son can take lives of others.

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Mir

May 31, 2015 11:49am

Good Step! Only because he's a politician doesn't mean he is above the law. Let the courts decide his fate.

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Mac

May 31, 2015 11:52am

Bring perpetrators to justice.

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SSH

May 31, 2015 12:00pm

insanity prevails ........ was this local bodies election or war among pre-medieval tribes?

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Bajwa

May 31, 2015 12:01pm

Act of cowardice by PTI, they dare not to speak against TTP because of backlash. Its CM Khattak who should have been arrested instead of Mine Iftikhar, a brave leader who sons got killed by terrorist but he never stepped back. A proper investigation should be conducted without prejudice. BTW 6 other people have also been killed due to govt mismanagement, on whom PTI is planning to throw the blame?

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Khan

May 31, 2015 12:04pm

well done KPK Police.

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S Hussain Khan

May 31, 2015 12:05pm

Well Done KP Police.

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Ayaz

May 31, 2015 12:07pm

Democracy ... the Pakistani way ..... What an unfortunate nation ....

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zafar

May 31, 2015 12:09pm

87 FIRs registered overnight - no JIT constituted, no political upheaval. Not only that the provincial government is nowhere to be seen with the police working independently. So what is wrong with this picture. It would have never happened in Punjab or Sindh with the current setups in place. Now that is change.

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Not The Reluctant Fundamentalist

May 31, 2015 12:09pm

Extremly sad for the death of common people...but the silver lining is that arrests were made with-in 24 hours of incidents (even arresting a Political leader). As for the allegations, they should be investigated and the relevant parties should initiate the process by appealing in the ECP. I know ECP won't take a dharna of 126 days of anything of that sort since the appeal would be against PTI, the actions should begin in a month or so. Congratulations to the winners, best of luck to the losers and hope for the best for the people.

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Shaukat Ali

May 31, 2015 12:12pm

Why case against Mian, did he fire or ordered fight?

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Ghazanfar Sanpal

May 31, 2015 12:37pm

This happen when vested interests and lust for power overcomes morality. This happen when people don't obey basic rule: live and let live.

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May 31, 2015 12:43pm

Political revenge!

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Imran

May 31, 2015 12:45pm

Naya Pakistan = Purana Pakistan and hence the political victimization. PTI's fascist tendencies are being exposed again. Why would you allow your workers to storm a political opponent's house in the first place?

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Rashid Malik

May 31, 2015 12:51pm

don't be kind to any one who is responsible for violence; also it is need to be seen how many of PTI activists were arrested because it is hard to believe that in such local clashes in KP none of PTI activist were causing it

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Salih

May 31, 2015 12:52pm

Looks like a brave act on part of POLICE but ground realities must be kept in mind. Police system might changed but general public still has to changed their minds. After a peaceful span of time since 16th Dec incident (GOD Forbid) KPK is heading to another violent period. On my part I strongly endorsed the KPK police action.

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Ridwan

May 31, 2015 12:53pm

Obviously the orders did not come from this man - it came from a low level party worker. But PTI controls the province as is targeting its political opponents, and is misapplying the law out of its own rage. That is called CORRUPTION.

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Kamran

May 31, 2015 01:01pm

Good Job

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Anonymous

May 31, 2015 01:04pm

Great KHAN!

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Pakistani

May 31, 2015 01:40pm

PTI's dirty politics

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abdul khaliq qureshi

May 31, 2015 01:47pm

I, cannot predict over the killing till final decision of the apex court of Pakistan. FIRs often took place of an event wherein it may be occurred within the jurisdictional territory of a police station . It could be proved incorrect and correct after trial but nothing more.

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shafeeq

May 31, 2015 01:56pm

good

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Haider Rehman Real

May 31, 2015 02:09pm

Police is independent of politics. The case was registered on complaint of his father.

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Haider Rehman Real

May 31, 2015 02:10pm

Police in KP is actually functional.

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roarwali

May 31, 2015 02:20pm

I hope justice will be dispensed to the father of PTI worker. I have trust and faith in KPK police. Being a resident of KPK, from my own experience i can tell you that ANP make use of drums (dhol) and to some extent guns in election times.

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Pashtunyar

May 31, 2015 02:21pm

What were the pti activits doing near the house of the anp leader

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Junaid

May 31, 2015 02:25pm

This is just PTI's dirty politics. ANP people can not kill ever. ANP may be corrupt but they are never a killer.

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KHI

May 31, 2015 02:25pm

@Pakistani Politicians and their relatives are no exemption from law.

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Ali

May 31, 2015 02:29pm

Good for the first time in Pakistan law is applied for poor and rich in same way

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shafi

May 31, 2015 02:42pm

A misplaced concept of merit and fairplay. Get politician who are not in power to get your place in the headlines. Has the KP police been able to arrest the killers of Mian Iftikhrar's son. What a lovely sense of justice. KP this will only bring in a more bad name.Actions speak louder than words.

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mohammad ali

May 31, 2015 02:43pm

what relief would this election bring to people after turning all nieghbours foes...there were clashes at all almost every polling station...women were barred from voting in most cases and neighbours turn enemies by fielding candidates in every street....

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Akram

May 31, 2015 02:50pm

It is time for Pakistan to learn to stagger the voting, so that people do not needlessly die whilst simply voting in this day and age. If everyone votes on the same day we cannot keep a watchful eye on polling stations. India has been staggering a much larger electorate for years, this is something we can learn to do also.

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Dilectus

May 31, 2015 02:51pm

Good! justice must be served.

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AinakWalaJin

May 31, 2015 02:54pm

This was quite stupid on part of both PTI and ECP. Holding such huge elections in just one day. Had they done it in phases like in India, it would have been much more easier and peaceful!

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ahmad

May 31, 2015 03:04pm

@Mir The news is misleading. there was no clash. only pti workers were firing to celebrate victory, and the person died because of that fire. The mob also attacked Main San, but rescued by army.

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ahmad

May 31, 2015 03:06pm

@Ali for your information he is neither rich nor in power. pti using power for political revenge.

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Exist4Change

May 31, 2015 03:07pm

@Rana Asghar I too have sympathies for Mian Iftikhar. Even IK has termed him a brave man in his earlier statements. But it does not mean that inquiry should not be held against him on the complaint of father of the deceased. I think KP police has taken a courageous step to arrest him after FIR was lodged against him.

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Exist4Change

May 31, 2015 03:09pm

@Pakistani If the police did not arrest a person named in FIR because of that person's political status, was it good?

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sandhu

May 31, 2015 03:18pm

Good work by KP police now court has to decide if he is culprit then should be punished otherwise should not be harm if he is innocent.

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KHALID SOHAIL

May 31, 2015 03:26pm

Since 1947 to 2015, please inform how many lives have been taken by democratic politics. All elections provincial, national and LG.

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Skk

May 31, 2015 03:28pm

He is too good a person to be arrested like this. We need such ppl for KP and Pakistan. Hope things will sort out soon. Kp police generally not politically corrupt.

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Imran

May 31, 2015 03:50pm

Asfandyar calling it revenge!!! A man shot dead by your people and you call it revenge?? The father of the deceased named Iftekhar hussain in the FIR. Second, the police in KPK is depoliticized

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Babay

May 31, 2015 04:17pm

No politics. Let the investigation in the murder case ends to its logical conclusion. No one is above the law of the country.

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Sufian

May 31, 2015 04:18pm

FIR was lodged by deceased's father so police had to take action. How does his sacrifices come into this? If he is innocent then he will be released, if not then he should be punished accordingly. Stop politicizing the matter let the police do its job.

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pukhtoon

May 31, 2015 04:28pm

Great job by kpk police

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Whaaaat a Change!

May 31, 2015 04:48pm

CM KPK should have been arrested for the unpreparedness, mis-management and chaos at the polls that led to loss of innocent lives not this man

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Kamran Maqbool

May 31, 2015 05:13pm

The rule of law only the way to bring the Pakistan on the track of prosperity.

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Kamran Naqvi

May 31, 2015 05:24pm

Bravo! KPK police, because there is no reason to leave the accused because of his status.

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ali

May 31, 2015 06:04pm

@AINAKWALAJIN:: It was the ECP who ordered to hold the elections on same, now don't shift the blame on KPK Govt please

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Farhan

May 31, 2015 06:32pm

What about DI Khan incident where a woman died by the KP minister's guards firing. This is clearly a political move by PTI. Tabdelli a gayi hai...

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Syed M Razi Kazmi

May 31, 2015 06:46pm

If Mian Iftikhar has been nominated in FIR by the deceased's father, then the course of law required his arrest, however Police has the option to release him if the preliminary investigation does not suggest his direct involvement in the murder. Any reaction by any Political Party or the Federal Govt are uncalled for at the moment.

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Ahmad

May 31, 2015 07:15pm

@zafar JIT are part of delaying tactics and don't have any legal standings or authority to implement their findings. Don't forget JIT for baldia town factory etc. What you should see is that FIR registered, arrests made.FYI: it's KPK police not Punjab police.

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Farid Ullah

May 31, 2015 07:18pm

I know Iftikhar personally. A peaceful man who has followed the principle of non violence all his life. Pakistan is a sad place. By the way I am a PTI voter.

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Iqbal Khan

May 31, 2015 08:02pm

@Bajwa not Mian Iftikhar but dozens of others who were involved in any crime during the event of LG elections. Nobody is above law. This were not the provincial govt to lodge FIR but the deceased father registered FIR against them

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Iqbal Khan

May 31, 2015 08:09pm

@Ridwan we people are obsessed with status quo mind set and do pass our time by putting allegations for the sake of allegations. Why not see the situation in broad spectrum. It were the deceased father, not the provincial govt, who lodged FIR against the accused. If we believe in rule of law then there is nobody spare at any status.

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Iqbal Khan

May 31, 2015 08:12pm

@shafi Mian Iftikhar son was murdered during their own govt. But as far I remember some of the culprits were arrested from the outskirt of Peshawar during PTI govt.

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Iqbal Khan

May 31, 2015 08:25pm

@Imran based on the grounds you presented, is it justful to answer stones throwing with bullets. This is not Punjab or Sindh where anybody what he want to do, this is KPK, and the people here, even a low profile person cannot spare injustice in his life. This was not the provincial govt but the father of the deceased who lodged FIR. Further in this province police are free of any political pressure. Law should be equal for everyone. If Mian IFtikhar is innocent I hope there will be no harm to him.

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Truth will always Prevail

May 31, 2015 09:44pm

As victim's father pointed out him for his son murder Mian Iftikhar had to be arrested and presented in the court for legal proceeding. If he is not guilty court shouldn't have problem delivering justice It shows in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa showing law is same for all. Not like Punjab.

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Dr Rehman (Dow)

May 31, 2015 09:58pm

Elections does not look fair. Many people were shot and many were injured. On many poling stations women were not allowed to casted votes. People physically fights many places.

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Masoud

May 31, 2015 10:18pm

Who fired the shot Mian Iftikhar Hussain or his guard

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Rick_james

May 31, 2015 11:13pm

Justice being served in KPK. Well done Imran Khan and PTI. Nobody should be above the law.

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Rauf

May 31, 2015 11:43pm

Police in kpk is apolitical..let rule of law take its course.no need to make hue n cry on simple police case .if found innocent, mian sb will b honourably acquitted.let every one b equal before the law,irrespective of his social status.

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bilal

May 31, 2015 11:48pm

@Rana Asghar death of an innocent is no doubt death of humanity but No one sacrifice any one for democracy.

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khan tariq abbas khan niazi

Jun 01, 2015 03:36am

pti worker got killed outside mian iftikhars residence.thats the news. mian iftikhar arrested by police on the deceaseds fathers fir.i dont agree that warrants mian iftikhars arrest.we all shall see in the days to come that this is a wrong doing.a man of his stature can not be disrespected/disgraced like this .if fir is the criteria then one day imran khan too can be nominated in a fir.then he too will be arrested ? i forcefully condemn this arrest .

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