PPP leader’s house attacked (original) (raw)

KHAR: The house of Syed Akhunzada Chattan, a former member of the National Assembly and provincial vice president of Pakistan Peoples Party, was attacked with a rocket in Aman Kot area, about 10 kilometres east of Bajaur Agency’s headquarters Khar, officials said on Sunday.

No one was injured in the attack.

They said the incident took place late on Saturday night.

They said the rocket fired from an unknown location hit the mud-made boundary wall of the house.

Local people told Dawn on Sunday that Mr Chattan was present in the house at the time of attack. However, he and his family members remained safe.

Soon after the attack, security personnel cordoned off the area and later launched a search operation in adjoining localities to trace the attackers. However, no arrest was made till late in the night.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, but the local administration suspected that militants could be behind the attack as the former MNA has no personal enmity with anyone in the area.

An official of the local administration told Dawn that the administration had provided at least eight personnel of the Levies force to the former MNA for his security, adding that up to four personnel were present at the house at the time of the attack.

A large number of people, including PPP members, visited the residence of Mr Chattan on Sunday and condemned the attack.

A number of senior officials of the local administration also visited the Mr Chattan’s house and expressed solidarity with him.

Meanwhile, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has condemned the attack on the house of Mr Chattan.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2018