At least one person was injured after unknown assailants opened fire on PTI Senator Khurram Zeeshan’s in-laws’ home located in Hayatabad area on the outskirts of Peshawar during the early hours of Tuesday.
Zeeshan was elected to the Senate in October on a general seat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The seat had fallen vacant following the disqualification of PTI leader Shibli Faraz.
According to the incident report filed at the Tatara police station, the attack occurred around 3:15am, with unidentified attackers opening fire on the home located in Phase 2 of Hayatabad.
According to police, Syed Azhar Hussain Bukhari, the senator’s brother-in-law, said he was at his home when it came under attack. He said that one of the people working at his home, identified as Absar Ahmed, had sustained a bullet injury in the attack. He further said that his property was also damaged in the incident.
The spokesperson for the PTI’s KP chapter, Ikram Khatana, also confirmed the attack. He further said that the senator was not present at the residence when it occurred. He said that the attackers had tried to persuade the occupants to open the gate, and upon their refusal, proceeded to open fire.
Senator Zeeshan has not yet responded to requests for a comment.
Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen Senator Allama Raja Nasir posted on social media platform X that he was “ deeply disturbed” to hear about the attack.
While the incident report said that only one person had been injured in the attack, Nasir’s post mentioned two injured.
He said, “The assault on the home of a senator who has been a vocal critic of the power elements underscores the perilous environment for political dissent in the country.
“It is therefore imperative that transparent, thorough investigations be conducted to ensure justice and accountability.”
Senator Nasir further stated that such incidents “erode confidence in the constitutional promise to protect freedom of speech and association, and they must be addressed urgently to safeguard the rights and safety of all citizens, regardless of their political stance”.
Last month, an alleged quadcopter attack on the residence of PTI MPA Anwar Zeb Khan in Raghagan area of Khar tehsil had left one of his private guards injured.
