Imran’s party candidate Rehan Zeb gunned down in Pakistan tribal district of Bajaur

A national assembly candidate in Pakistan's election next week was shot and killed on Wednesday in the tribal district along Afghan border, police said, amid fears of an uptick in militant violence around the parliamentary vote.

Rehan Zeb Khan, an independent candidate in the Feb.8 election who had claimed to be supported by former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) party, and four aides were shot in Bajaur district, said police officer Rasheed Khan.

He said Rehan Zeb died at a local hospital and his aides were in a critical condition. Rehan Zeb was campaigning for election when he was targeted by the unknown attackers in Bajaur district.

Rehan Zeb was contesting election from the National Assembly constituency of NA-8 and provincial assembly PK-22 seat in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

PTI's provincial president Atif Khan said Rehan Zeb was a party member but the PTI had another candidate in the constituency with its official backing. In absence of the party symbol on the ballot, several independent candidates are claiming to have Imran Khan's party support.

It was the second killing of a candidate associated with PTI in the tribal regions of northwestern Pakistan in recent days. No one has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack in a region where militants operate on both sides of the border.

Agencies