QUETTA: Unknown armed men gunned down an official of the Airport Security Force (ASF) in the Samungli area on Thursday.

Police said Corporal Mujahid Ali Rashid was on his way to Quetta airport on his bike. When he reached Samungli Road, armed men riding motorcycles opened fire.

The ASF official died on the spot. Police rushed to the site after receiving information and shifted the body to Civil Hospital.

“We have received the body of the ASF official who had received multiple bullet injuries which caused his instant death,” officials at the hospital said, adding after autopsy the body had been handed over to the family.

ASF officials at the Quetta airport said Mujahid Ali was a permanent resident of Rawalpindi and was living out of the ASF residential facility at his own arrangement somewhere in Quetta.

“The deceased was targeted by unknown armed men, while he was coming to the airport for morning duty wearing tracksuit,” ASF officials said, adding that the body of the deceased was sent to his native town for burial.

Police termed the incident “target killing” and said a case has been registered against unknown assailants who managed to flee the scene after firing. Further investigation was under way, they added.

Meanwhile, the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the killing of the ASF official.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo and Minister for Home and Tribal Affairs Mir Ziaullah Langove condemned the killing and said the elements involved in it would be brought to justice soon.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2023