ANP Leader Maulana Zaib Shot Dead in Bajaur

News Desk

Bajaur: Senior Awami National Party (ANP) leader Maulana Khan Zaib was gunned down in a targeted firing incident near Shandai Mor, close to the Khar Tehsil Headquarters in Bajaur on Thursday. The attack also claimed the life of his companion, Dr Tariq, while three others sustained serious injuries.

According to sources, Maulana Zaib was actively campaigning for the upcoming Aman Pason (Peace Caravan) rally scheduled for July 13 in Bajaur when unidentified assailants opened fire on his vehicle. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment as police launched an investigation into the attack.

In response to the killing, the ANP has announced a three-day mourning period. Provincial ANP President Mian Iftikhar Hussain strongly condemned the attack, describing it as “not merely an assault on ANP but on Pashtun awareness, peace, and the politics of resistance.”

He said the incident suggested that terrorists had once again been given free rein in the region. All political activities of the party will remain suspended during the mourning period.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed his sorrow over the assassination. In a message on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he described Maulana Khan Zaib as a “very fine soul and a staunch advocate for peace.” The premier extended his condolences to the bereaved family, party colleagues, and the people of Bajaur, praying for eternal peace for the departed.