District councillor shot dead in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: A district councillor belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was gunned down by his rivals on a land dispute on Thursday, the police said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Rahmatullah told The News that as per preliminary inquiry, Councillor Basit Khan had been allegedly killed by his rivals on a land dispute.

An official of Mattani Police Station said that Said Hussain, brother of the deceased councillor, lodged a first information report and charged their rivals including Muntazim Shah and Asif Shah and their cousin Tahir in the murder case.

The complainant stated that the accused opened fire on his brother Basit when he was on his way home from the police station.

He said that they had a land dispute on an eight-marla plot.

Basit Khan had been elected to the Peshawar district council on youth seat. The deceased was a close friend of PML-N provincial president Amir Muqam.

The police official said that the slain had visited the police station in connection with a search operation in the area.

He said that about three weeks ago, both parties had a fight and one of his opponents Imam Shah was behind bars on charges of an attempted murder.

He said the police were investigating the murder after registering the case; however, no arrest had been made till the filing of this report.