Ex-minister Pirzada’s house attacked in Bahawalpur

BAHAWALPUR: Some unidentified car riders opened fire at the residence of former federal minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada in Sheikh Wahan, Bahawalpur and injured one security guard Friday morning.

The guards at the house retaliated the firing and forced the attackers to leave their car. The locals and guards then chased the attackers and overpowered one of them some four kilometers away from the residence of Riaz Pirzazda. Two pistols and one dagger were recovered from the attacker. Anaiti police station SHO Tahir Khan arrested the attacker identified as Ghazanfar Boharr of Bahawalpur and seized the car. The name of injured guard is Allah Rakha. The ex-minister was not present at his house when it was attacked. The police have registered a case. SP (Investigations) Rab Nawaz and the DSP Khairpur Tamiwala circle visited the scene. Earlier, the former minister had told media that he had been receiving threatening phone calls from a SIM registered in Libya.

CANDIDATES START FILING PAPERS: Several candidates from Bahawalpur division filed nomination papers for National Assembly and Punjab Assembly seats on Friday. A total of 41 candidates have filed their nomination papers for five NA and 10 PA constituencies till date. Former federal minister for education Mian Baleegh-ur-Rehman, former district nazim and PML-Q general secretary Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema and Ejaz-ul-Haq also filed their papers on Friday.

There was no visible enthusiasm among the locals and supporters of the candidates when they filed papers apparently owing to hot weather and the holy month of Ramazan.