Violence Jolts Pakistan As May 11 Elections Draw Nigh

Qamar Abbas, the son of slain government prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar looks at the bullet-riddled car of his father after an attack by gunmen in Islamabad on Friday.
Qamar Abbas, the son of slain government prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar looks at the bullet-riddled car of his father after an attack by gunmen in Islamabad on Friday.

Pakistan witnessed fresh violence on Friday with the killing of a top prosecutor and an election candidate in separate incidents.

Unknown gunmen shot dead the Federal Investigation Agency’s special prosecutor in the Benazir Bhutto murder case, Chaudhry Zulfikar Ali, in Islamabad. The assailants attacked the prosecutor just after he left his home in the morning.

He was to attend proceedings in a Rawalpindi-based anti-terrorism court in the Bhutto assassination case in which detained former president Pervez Musharraf is an accused. Police said four armed men who laid an ambush opened fire on the prosecutor’s car and fled on motorbikes.

A candidate running for parliament in this week’s election was also shot dead along with his three-year-old son in Karachi. Saddiq Zaman Khattak was a businessman and a candidate for the Awami National Party (ANP).Campaigning has been marred by violence which left 63 dead.

The assassination comes just days before Pakistan holds historic general elections on May 11, marking the first time that a civilian government completes a full-term in office and hands over to another at the ballot box.

The Taliban have threatened the main parties in the outgoing government and attacks directly targeting politicians and political parties have killed more than 60 people since April 11, AFP tally said.