An election candidate of Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was shot dead in a firing incident in Kharian on Wednesday morning. As he was about to launch his campaign from PP-29, Malik Saqib Nawaz was sprayed with bullets by his rivals over a land dispute in the suburban village of Jalalpur Sobtiyan in Kharian city. The police have registered a case against seven accused on the complaint of Saqib’s father Muhammad Nawaz and arrested two accused in this regard. The police later shifted the body to a hospital for post-mortem. The deceased was a candidate for Punjab Assembly from PP-29 constituency on a TLP ticket. It may be mentioned here that the process of filing nomination papers has been completed across the country and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is now scrutinizing the papers which will continue until December 30.

Interestingly, six members of the same family including a woman had filed their nomination papers from the NA-62 and PP-28 constituencies in Kharian. Five brothers – Abid Raza, Naeem Raza, Shahid Raza, Shabbir Ahmad and Muhammad Ali Tanveer – and one sister-in-law filed the nomination papers as they will contest elections against each other from the NA-62 constituency. The woman, Saadia Shahid, is the wife of Shahid Raza. Abid Raza is former MNA, Naeem Raza is ex-adviser to Punjab CM while Shabbir Ahmad is former MPA. Muhammad Ali Tanveer is former district chairman while Shahid Raza is former UC Nazim.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)