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| India-Pakistan |
| Punjab pol gunned down... |
| 2002-12-29 |
| Unidentified gunmen have shot dead a former minister and member of the Punjab provincial assembly in Pakistan. Chaudhry Mohammed Farooq was gunned down while returning from a village near his home town of Sirai Alamgir, about 140 kilometres south of Islamabad. The two vehicles in which the MP and his colleagues were travelling were forced to stop at a blockade and then gunmen fired several dozen rounds from automatic guns. Several men took part in the attack. Local police said it was a highly organised operation. It's violence, it's mindless. It must be Pakistan. The attack was so sudden that the two armed guards, travelling with the MP, did not have any opportunity to return the fire. They were killed, along with Mr Farooq and his three friends. The assailants were able to escape after the attack and no arrest have been made so far. That's usual... Chaudhry Farooq belonged to a faction of the Pakistan Muslim League party, which is part of the ruling coalition in the Punjab. He had been a minister in the mid-90s and was an active member of the provincial assembly. Police say the motive of the murder is not clear but, according to a senior official, they are investigating whether it might be related to some tribal feud. More likely that Qazi or Fazl thinks the MMA could pick up his seat in a by-election. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |