The Awami National Party's candidate contesting in the election for Dera Ismail Khan city's mayor was shot dead on Saturday, a day before polling for local government seats was scheduled to take place in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to police, unidentified attackers opened fire on Umar Khitab Sherani outside his residence in the limits of Model Town police station and fled. Sherani died on the spot.

Confirming these details, Dera Ismail Khan District Police Officer Najamul Hasnain told the media that police had launched an investigation into the matter and started search operations to arrest Sherani's killers.

He added that at the moment, it would be "premature to comment on who is behind the killing".

Soon after the incident, Sherani's relatives and ANP workers reached his residence in large numbers and protested against his killing.

Later, they staged a protest with the dead body and blocked South Circular Road for traffic for hours.

The protest ended after talks with the local administration.

Sherani's funeral was held in a college ground and was attended by Kashmir Affairs Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, ANP workers and others.

He was laid to rest in his native area, Sherani.

After the incident, the Election Commission of Pakistan postponed the election for the city mayor in Dera Ismail Khan.