Ex-senator Hidayatullah among 5 martyred in Bajaur IED blast

KHAR/ISLAMABAD/SUKKUR: A former senator and his four companions were killed when his vehicle was targeted with a remote-controlled device in the Mamond tehsil of Bajaur tribal district on Wednesday, officials and local sources said.

Police officials said that Hidayatullah Khan was returning home with his other companions from Damadola to the district headquarters, Khar, after taking part in the election campaign for his nephew, Najeebullah Khan, when his vehicle was targeted through an improvised explosive device (IED). His nephew is contesting as an independent for the provincial assembly seat, PK-22, in the by-poll slated for July 11.

The hospital administration confirmed the death of Hidayatullah Khan, Malik Irfan of Niag in Mamond, Nazruddin of Navagai, Yar Muhammad of Navagai and Samiur Rehman of Inamkhuar Cheena, Mamond. The bodies of all the victims were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Khar and were handed over to families after carrying out post-mortem. Bajaur District Police Officer Sajjad Ahmad said the bomb disposal unit was conducting an investigation.

The late Hidayatullah Khan served as a senator twice from 2012 to 2024. He was elected to the upper house of parliament in an independent capacity. He was the chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation and a member of the National Counter-Terrorism Authority during his tenure as senator.

Hidayatullah Khan was the younger brother of KP’s former governor Engineer Shaukatullah Khan, Dr Inayatullah Khan and son of erstwhile Member National Assembly Bismillah Khan.

Meanwhile, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the terror act. KP government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif offered prayers for the deceased and said: “Such cowardly attacks cannot dampen our spirits.”

KP Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry also condemned the attack, saying it was a very unfortunate incident.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday expressed their deep grief and sorrow over the deaths of Hidayatullah.

The president, condemning the terrorist incident, expressed condolences with the bereaved families, the President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release. He also prayed for the departed souls and for the bereaved families to bear the losses with fortitude.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the death of Hidayatullah and four other persons in Damadola, Bajaur blast.

The prime minister prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls and for the bereaved families to bear the losses with equanimity, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. He also directed for identification of those responsible for the terrorist incident leading to exemplary punishment. Condemning the incident in the strongest words, the prime minister said that terrorist elements were the enemies of law and order and democracy but could not deter the resolve of the Pakistani nation. He also reiterated the resolve to eliminate the specter of terrorism from the country.

Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari strongly condemned the remote-controlled bomb attack on the vehicle of former senator Hidayatullah Khan in the Bajaur district of KP, expressing deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of five people, including the former senator. The PPP chairman conveyed his heartfelt condolences and solidarity with the families of those martyred. “I share the grief of the families of the victims and can understand the pain of losing their loved ones at the hands of terrorists,” he stated.

Bilawal emphasized that eliminating the menace of terrorism from Pakistan should be the unanimous agenda of all democratic parties in the country. He reaffirmed the PPP’s commitment to supporting efforts to eradicate terrorism and ensure security of all citizens.