ANP leader, policeman killed in Bajaur attack
BAJAUR: Maulana Khan Zeb, a religious scholar, peace activist and leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), was assassinated along with a guard in Khar, Bajaur, on Thursday, according to police and party workers.
Three people accompanying Mr Zeb were wounded in the deadly attack that triggered protests by ANP workers.
A senior police official and party workers told Dawn the ANP leader was canvassing for a multi-party peace march scheduled for July 13 when he was attacked.
The assailants opened fire at his vehicle near the Nadra office on the main Khar-Inayat Kalley road around 4:25pm.
Rescue 1122 media coordinator Riaz Ahmed Khan said Mr Zeb and his four companions were critically wounded in the attack.
Party announces three days of mourning
They were taken to the District Headquarters hospital, Khar, where Mr Zeb and his guard, a cop identified as Sherzada, succumbed to their wounds.
The Rescue spokesman said the three wounded were identified as Usman Ali, Tariq Khan and Shah Sawar. They were referred to Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital for further treatment due to their critical conditions.
Israr Khan, the district police spokesperson, told Dawn Mr Zeb and his four companions were heading to Nawagai from Khar bazaar after the campaign when they were attacked.
The unidentified assailants who were on motorcycles fled after the attack.
No group had yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Bajaur District Police Officer Waqas Rafique termed the attack “targeted killing”.
He said an investigation was underway to identify the attackers while evidence had been collected from the scene.
The killing of Mr Zeb was the second major incident of violence in Bajaur this month. On July 2, four people, including Nawagi subdivision Assistant Commissioner Faisal Ismail, Tehsildar Abdul Wakeel Khan, policeman Zahid Khan and a passerby, were killed in an IED blast.
AC Ismail and his team were returning to the Civil Colony Khar after conducting an antiencroachment drive in Nawagai bazaar, when their official vehicle was targeted in Sadigabad.
Protest and condemnation
Mr Zeb was a member of ANP’s central cabinet and held the office of secretary of ulema affairs. He was also an influential advocate for peace.
As news about the attack spread, ANP workers and Mr Zeb’s followers gathered at the district headquarters hospital.
Angry party workers and social activists, who were joined by members of other political and religious parties, staged a demonstration outside the Civil Colony in Khar, with the coffin of Mr Zeb.
The president of ANP’s chapter, Gul Afzal Khan, and other party leaders expressed concerns over the killing.
They censured the government, claiming it had failed to ensure the safety and security of locals.
The killing of Maulana Zeb was a “great loss” for Bajaur and a setback to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s peace narrative, ANP leaders said, and called for an end to violence in the region.
National and provincial political leaders condemned the killing.
ANP President Aimal Wali Khan announced his party will hold a protest against the assassination of Mr Zeb.
ANP KP president Mian Ifitkhar Hussain also condemned the incident and declared three days of mourning in a statement shared on X.
“This attack is not only an attack on the Awami National Party but also on the Pashtun consciousness and peace,” he wrote.
According to the statement, ANP’s KP chapter will observe three days of mourning during which all political activities will remain suspended and black flags will be hoisted at party offices.
The office of KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also issued a statement condemning the incident and vowed to bring the attackers to justice.
The CM ordered the relevant authorities to investigate the incident and promptly arrest the assailants.
“Those involved in the incident will not be able to escape the grip of the law,” Mr Gandapur was quoted as saying.
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also extended condolences to the bereaved families, APP reported.
“I share my deepest condolences with the ANP leadership, party workers, and the mourning families affected by this heartbreaking incident,” he said.
JI senior leader Mushtaq Ahmed Khan has condemned the attack.
In a social media post, Mr Ahmed urged the government and authorities to take serious measures to stop such incidents and restore peace in Bajaur and other merged districts.
Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2025