National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Monday called for a “thorough and urgent” investigation into the attack targeting the convoy of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar.

Akbar was visiting his constituency Kakliyot village when the shooting occurred. The attack took place around 12:45pm when the speaker’s convoy, comprising 20 to 25 vehicles and motorcycles, reached Kakliyot. Three PPP workers travelling in the convoy were injured as assailants ope­ned indiscriminate fire.

Sadiq dispatched letters today through National Assembly Secretary General Tahir Hussain addressed to AJK Chief Secretary Khushal Khan and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdul Jabbar, ordering a thorough and urgent inquiry into the incident and strict action against the suspected attackers.

He also requested the chief secretary and IGP to submit a comprehensive report to his office within three days.

The letters strongly condemned the incident, calling it “an affront to the dignity and security of democratic institutions”. They also noted the lack of preventative measures despite reports of prior threats, saying that this oversight warranted “careful review and appropriate action”.

“This matter is of utmost importance, and any delay in addressing it could diminish public confidence in the ability of local authorities to protect and safeguard both the public and its representatives. Ensuring the safety and protection of parliamentary representatives is critical, and urgent measures must be adopted to prevent such incidents in the future,” the letters concluded.

The letters were issued on behalf of the Speakers’ Forum, comprising Sadiq, Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, speakers of the four provincial Assemblies and speakers of AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.