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Friday March 29, 2024

A review of Pak politicians, notables who came under fire

By Sabir Shah
November 05, 2022

LAHORE: The history of life attempts on Pakistani rulers and other high-profile personalities dates back to July 26, 1943, when a Khaksar Tehreek stalwart Rafiq Maznavi had walked up to the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s residence and attacked him with a knife.

The Quaid, who had earlier received several murder threats in June and July 1943, defended himself. Jinnah survived the assassination bid but he received a wound on his chin and cut on his hand.

In the meantime, Jinnah’s chauffeur and others arrived at the scene and overpowered the 25-year-old attacker, who was subsequently sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment. On Wednesday, former Pakistani premier Imran Khan also survived an attack while he was leading a long march.

History reveals that quite a few Pakistani prime ministers, presidents, governors, chief ministers, ministers, leading politicians, noted religious scholars, highly placed army and police officials have been targeted.

The first prime minister of the country Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated on October 16, 1951 in Rawalpindi while he was addressing the rally.

Liaquat Ali Khan’s assassination was followed by the second high-profile murder of an important NWFP politician, Khan Abdul Jabbar Khan (popularly known as Dr. Khan Sahib). He was killed on May 9, 1958 at his son Sadullah Khan’s 16 Aikman Road, GOR, Lahore residence by a disgruntled Mianwali-based land revenue clerk, Atta Mohammad.

Dr Khan sahib was the brother of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Baccha Khan) and uncle of late Khan Abdul Wali Khan. Former governor NWFP Hayat Sherpao was assassinated in 1975 in a bomb explosion. Another eminent politician of yore, Chaudhary Zahoor Elahi was murdered at Lahore in 1981.

The August 1988 incident, in which the plane carrying the then Pakistani president and Army Chief General Ziaul Haq and various sitting generals like Akhtar Abdul Rehman had exploded in air near Bahawalpur, should still be quite fresh in most memories.

MQM Founder Altaf Hussain survived an assassination bid in December 1991. Former Sindh governor Hakim Said was killed in Karachi in 1998. Luck had often shielded former Army Chief General Musharraf and many of his companions, who had somehow succeeded in surviving serious life attempts.

Musharraf had managed to dodge death in March 2002, December 14, 2003, December 25, 2003 and July 6, 2007.

Former Interior Minister, Aftab Sherpao, had also survived four attacks on his life in April 2007, December 2007, 2012 and 2015.

In June 2004, the then Karachi Corps Commander General Saleem Hyat had survived an attack.

Former premier Shaukat Aziz also escaped an attack on July 30, 2004 during his election rally in Attock.

Other survivors of the assassination attempts include former Balochistan chief minister Jam Yousaf, senior politician Amir Muqam, ANP leader Asfandyar Wali Khan, legislator Rashid Akbar Nawani, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Police DIG Nizam Shahid Durrani, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, former governor Balochistan Zulfiqar Magsi, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, and former SHC judge Justice Maqbool Baqir.

Although ANP leader Bashir Bilour had survived two assassination attempts in 2008 and 2009 but he was eventually killed in a suicide attack in December 2012. Former premier Benazir Bhutto escaped one attempt on her life on October 18, 2007, but could not survive the other one in just two months in 2007, eventually falling victim to it on December 27, 2007.

In April 2013, four people were killed when an election convoy of Balochistan leader Sardar Sanaullah Zehri had come under a bomb attack near Quetta. Sardar Zehri survived the attack but his son was amongst those killed.

In May 2013, the first attack on former IG Punjab Mushtaq Sukhera had claimed six lives but he had survived. The second time Sukhera survived was in August 2013, when a suicide bomber had killed 30 people, including DIG Operations Fayyaz Sumbal and DSP Shamsur Rehman, while they were all attending the funeral of a police SHO Mohib Ullah in Quetta.

Quetta SP Basheer Barohi was also lucky enough to escape an attack in September 2013. Former Martial Law Administrator of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Lt General Fazl-e- Haq was assassinated in October 1991, in Peshawar.

Former chief minister Punjab Ghulam Haider Wyne was gunned down in 1993.

Mir Murtaza Bhutto was killed in Karachi in September 1996.

Siddiq Kanju was killed in July 2001.

Ehteshamuddin Haider, brother of former Sindh governor Moinuddin Haider, was shot dead in Karachi on December 21, 2001.

In May 2002, noted religious scholar Dr Ghulam Murtaza Malik was shot dead in Lahore.

In October 2003, MNA Maulana Azam Tariq (chief of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan) was assassinated in Islamabad.

In May 2004, a senior religious scholar and head of Islamic religious school Jamia Binoria Karachi Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai was gunned down in Karachi.

In July 2006, Allama Hassan Turabi (chief of Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan) and his 12-year-old nephew were killed in a suicide attack in Karachi.

In January 2007, at least 13 people, including the chief of Peshawar City Police Malik Saad, were killed in a suicide bombing in Peshawar.

In February 2007, Punjab Minister for Social Welfare Zil-e-Huma Usman was shot down in Gujranwala.

In July 2007, Balochistan government’s spokesman Raziq Bugti was shot dead in Quetta.

In September 2007, former MNA Maulana Hassan Jan was killed in Peshawar.

In December 2007, Asfandyar Amirzaib (the grandson of Wali-e-Swat) was killed by a roadside bomb in Swat.

In February 2008, Pakistan Army’s top medic Lt Gen Mushtaq Baig was killed in Rawalpindi.

In November 2008, Maj-Gen (R) Ameer Faisal Alavi was gunned down in Islamabad.

In January 2009, Hussain Ali Yousafi, chairman of the Hazara Democratic Party, was shot dead in Quetta.

In February 2009, ANP provincial lawmaker Alam Zeb Khan was killed in Peshawar.

In June 2009, religious scholar Sarfraz Ahmed Naeemi was killed in a suicide attack in Lahore.

In October 2009, Balochistan Education Minister Shafiq Ahmed Khan was shot dead outside his residence in Quetta.

In December 2009, a politician belonging to ANP Shamsher Ali Khan was killed in Swat.

In January 2010, NWFP Education Minister Ghani-ur Rehman was killed in a bomb attack.

In July 2010, the only son of Mian Iftikhar Hussain was gunned down in Nowshera.

In January 2011, Punjab governor Salman Taseer was killed by one of his bodyguards in Islamabad.

In May 2012, a famous Karachi SP Shah Mohammad was killed.

In October 2012, a SSP (Rural) Khurshid Khan and six others were killed on Peshawar-Kohat Road.

In January 2014, an eminent Karachi SSP Chaudhary Aslam was killed along with two other officers on the Lyari expressway in Karachi.

On August 16, 2015, Punjab home minister Shuja Khanzada, was killed in a suicide blast.

In February 2017, DIG Traffic Police Captain (retd) Ahmed Mubeen and acting DIG Operations Zahid Ikram Gondal were killed in a suicide attack in Lahore.

In May 2018, PMLN leader Ahsan Iqbal was shot injured in Narowal.

In July 2018, a senior ANP leader Haroon Bilour and 13 other persons lost their lives in Peshawar.

On July 13, 2018, a Baloch politician Siraj Raisani was assassinated in Mastung while campaigning during the 2018 ballot exercise.

On July 24, 2018, PTI leader Ikramullah Gandapur was killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up near his car in Dera Ismail Khan.

In November 2018, renowned cleric Maulana Samiul Haq was killed.

In December 2018, former MNA Ali Raza Abidi was assassinated in Karachi.