A man described by police as a PTI worker was shot dead on Tuesday after he allegedly opened fire on a security forces patrol team on Mall Road in Rawalpindi. The incident took place around 11:15 in the morning and left one security personnel injured.
According to a spokesperson for Rawalpindi police, the attacker was identified as Muhammad Hussain, son of Muhammad Baz, who hailed from Khyber. Police said he fired a pistol at the patrol team. Security forces immediately returned fire and killed the gunman at the scene.
Police claimed that Hussain was linked to a specific political party. They stated that further evidence of his affiliations was recovered from his mobile phone and other belongings found at the location. A PTI flag and additional documents were also recovered from the crime scene, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.
Minister Tarar strongly condemned the incident. He accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf of promoting violent politics and said there was no justification for arriving armed and opening fire on security personnel in broad daylight. He claimed that such actions had become a repeated pattern during the party’s protests and long marches. Tarar added that the latest event exposed the party’s alleged intention to spread anarchy and disrupt peace in the country.
He further linked the incident to the PTI’s planned long march scheduled for September, arguing that the party often announces protests at times when Pakistan is gaining international recognition.
On the other hand, Shafi Jan, special assistant to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, confirmed that Hussain belonged to Khyber district. He said the man may have been a PTI worker but was never given any official party position or responsibility. Jan called it unfair to directly link the entire party to the incident and demanded that full CCTV footage of the event be made public.
Rawalpindi police said further investigation into the matter is continuing. Law enforcement agencies stated they remain fully prepared to deal with any activity aimed at creating unrest or promoting terrorism.
The Imran Khan-founded party has announced a long march on 27 September. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said the purpose of the march is not only the release of the party founder but also to gain access to him.
The Mall Road incident has once again brought the issue of political violence and security challenges into sharp focus across the country.
