MULTAN, Oct 3: Unidentified gunmen shot dead a union council nazim and injured his deputy on Monday night after opening fire on a street corner meeting. The attack was seen as an attempt on the life of Zafar Ahmed Hiraj, a candidate for the post of tehsil nazim in Kabirwala.

Mr Hiraj was invited by the union council nazim of Darkhana Khizer Hayat Torru for a meeting. Some two dozen people, including councillors and the naib nazim Mohsin Ali Bhatti, assembled there to take oath of allegiance with Mr Hiraj when the attackers barged in.

Mr Torru died on the spot while Mr Bhatti sustained bullet injuries. Zafar Hiraj told Dawn that the assailants had pursued him and fired in his direction when he ran into a nearby house.