Balochistan minority MPA shot dead in Quetta

QUETTA: Minority member of the Balochistan Assembly Handery Masieh was killed by his guard in Quetta on Saturday, an official said. He was killed in a firing incident in Nawan Killi — located in the suburbs of Quetta — the provincial capital of Balochistan. Jan Muhammad Buledi, the government spokesperson of Balochistan, told Dawn.com that his security guard opened fire on Masieh outside his residence as a result of which he suffered serious bullet wounds. "Masieh succumbed to his injuries in the hospital," Buledi added. Masieh was elected on a ticket of the National Party (NP) as a minority member in the Balochistan Assembly. He belonged to Balochistan’s Mastung district and was an active leader of the ruling NP. "The same guard was serving with Masieh for the past 15 years," Rehmat Baloch, the provincial health minister and central leader of NP, told Dawn.com. A large number of NP supporters and leaders gathered at Frontier Corps hospital where his body was kept. “Motive behind the killing is yet to be ascertained," Jan Buledi said. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident and directed the Balochistan government to bring the perpetrator of his killing to book. Chief Minister Balochistan Dr. Malik Baloch, who also belongs to the NP, strongly condemned the incident and directed police to arrest the accused person involved in the murder.