BAHAWALNAGAR: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former member of provincial assembly from southern Punjab Shaukat Basra was injured while his personal assistant was killed in an exchange of fire in Haroonabad area of Bahawalnagar.
The exchange of fire took place between supporters of the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z) in Bahawalnagar’s Haroonabad area which left several people, including Basra injured. Basra’s personal assistant Imtiaz was killed in the firing. Basra was leading a rally against PML-Z Chairman Ejazul Haq who registered a fake case against PPP activists. Basra was shifted to a hospital where his condition is said to be out of danger. Former president Asif Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have condemned the attack.
In a press statement, the PPP chairman said attacks on the PPP leaders were naked form of terrorism and an attempt to scare the workers as the PPP was gaining strength in Punjab.
He said the PML-N and Zia remnants could not go scot-free from this crime. Bilawal described Basra as a sepoy of people and democracy. The PPP chairman called the attack as an act of cowardice.
Bilawal said the PPP leaders and workers could not be scared through such coward attacks and demanded immediate arrest and punishment to the culprits involved in the attack. Zardari has also called for the arrest of the culprits.
Eyewitnesses said that a stampede followed the firing.
