ABBOTTABAD: Four people, said to be workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), were killed and another injured on Tuesday in a firing incident between workers of rival political parties.
The incident took place at a hotel near Abbottabad’s Fawara Chowk, where five PTI workers were targeted, reported DawnNews. Two individuals died on the spot, while the remaining three were shifted to Benazir Shaheed Hospital where two more succumbed to their injuries.
The deceased individuals are Dostan, Nazir, Kala, and Zakir ur Rehman, while Naveed was injured.
The victims were allegedly targeted for their involvement in a clash at a Nangati polling station during local bodies election on May 30.
Police have registered a case at Abbottabad’s Cantonment police station. Chaudhry Sajid, a member of the PML-N, has been nominated as the attacker in the FIR.
A large number of policemen have been deployed in the area, where the situation was tense following clashes between rival political forces during and after local government polls.
PTI workers organised a protest gathering alongside the dead bodies on Shahrah-i-Resham, causing traffic jams in the area, but dispersed after successful negotiations with the police.
National Assembly Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi, who was visiting the area, was sent back after the situation turned sensitive following the shootings.
Saturday's local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were marred by instances of violence around the province. Six people were killed while 47 injured in clashes throughout Saturday in conflicts between rival groups in different parts of the province, which hampered polling.
Strict security arrangements were made to ensure smooth polling, with some 86,115 security personnel deployed at polling stations throughout the province.
Read more: Six people killed in clashes during Khyber Pakhtunkhwa LG polls.
