Pakistan's former lawmaker Mohsin Dawar survives gun attack in North Waziristan

Tariq Butt, Correspondent / Reuters

Former lawmaker and National Democratic Movement (NDM) Chairman Mohsin Dawar remained unhurt after his vehicle came under fire in North Waziristan’s Miranshah on Wednesday, police said.

North Waziristan District Police Officer (DPO) Rohan Zeb said Dawar was targeted during an election campaign in the area. “The vehicle carrying the former lawmaker was bulletproof,” he said.

Zeb said security guards accompanying Dawar responded with gunfire, adding that the attackers used sub-machine guns (SMGs) in the assault.

The DPO said an additional police contingent had been provided to the NDM leader after the attack.

Separately, in a social media post, the NDM said terrorism had been increasing in Waziristan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to the state’s policies regarding the Taliban.

“How will a level playing field be provided to Mohsin Dawar in such a dangerous environment?” it asked, demanding an immediate investigation into the attack. The party added that the local administration was responsible for making security arrangements for candidates contesting in the upcoming general elections.

“We demand the election commissioner to immediately call an emergency meeting regarding the security of candidates in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the NDM said.

NDM founding member Bushra Gohar strongly condemned the attack and demanded an immediate investigation into it.

The incident comes a day after the bodies of at least six barbers from Dera Ghazi Khan were found in the North Waziristan district. According to police, the bodies of the barbers, who had been running shops in Mir Ali bazaar for many years, were discovered in agricultural fields after being abducted and executed in the night by unknown assailants.

Authorities on Wednesday said they were investigating the murder of six barbers. “It is not yet known what the motives of this incident are, we are investigating,” Rokhan Zeb Khan told Reuters, confirming that the six barbers had been shot in the head.

The six, who ran different outlets offering grooming services, were not local residents and were living together close to their shops in the town of Mir Ali, where they were targeted by gunmen. Khan said the barbers were from province of Punjab. No group has claimed responsibility.