Independent candidate shot in North Waziristan amid Election 2024

Independent candidate Kaleemullah Khan has been shot dead along with two people in the village of Tapi, North Waziristan. Unknown attackers opened fire on an election candidate and two other people in North Waziristan, local police officials reported.

According to law enforcement, the independent candidate, Kaleemullah Khan, was planning to run for the PK-104 seat in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

Election 2024: Independent candidate shot dead in North Waziristan

Read more: https://t.co/NJB5GlbhVu #GeoNews
— Geo English (@geonews_english) January 10, 2024

According to police, the incident of an independent candidate shot occurred in the district’s Tappi village while Kaleemullah was campaigning for election. He also survived a bomb blast and suffered injuries as well.

Local law enforcement came quickly to the emergency call response. They witnessed that Kaleem died at the scene owing to his serious injuries.

Meanwhile, authorities moved the dead bodies of three victims to a local hospital for post-mortem examination. Their investigation of the fatal attack on Kaleem is ongoing.

According to officials, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate for NA-258 Aslam Buledi was injured after a shooting incident in Turbat City in a separate incident.

Aslam Buledi is a former Balochistan Assembly member. Assailants shot him near Issa Komi Park in the city. Afterward, officials sent him to the Turbat Teaching Hospital.

Click here to read the updates on Khyber District Terror Attack: Police and soldiers killed

The assassination of candidates comes as the country prepares for the February 8 general elections in 2024. They are campaigning to resolve issues, political upheaval, terrorism, and economic difficulties.

Terrorists also opened fire on former National Assembly member Mohsin Dawar’s escort last week in Tappi village. Mohsin is also the leader of the National Democratic Movement (NDM).

On December 31, 2024, terrorists also attacked the convoy of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Dera Ismail Khan. However, he remained unharmed during the assailant attack.

Because of the “unstable” security situation in various parts of the provinces, political actors, including Fazl, have expressed concerns and doubts about the holding of general elections in 2024. Pakistan saw an alarming increase in terror events in the previous year of 2023, reaching the highest level since 2014.