PTI candidate Gandapur killed in DI Khan blast

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Former minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) candidate Sardar Ikramullah Khan Gandapur was killed in a bomb blast near his car in DI Khan on Sunday, ARY News reported.

Police said Gandapur sustained serious wounds along with four others in a suicide blast near his vehicle in Kulachi area of DI Khan.

They were shifted to District Headquarters Hospital where the PTI leader was initially stated to be in critical condition, but later succumbed to his injuries. His driver was also killed in the attack.

A suicide bomber blew himself up near the vehicle of Ikram Khan Gandapur as he left his house for election campaign, district police chief Zaheer Afridi said. A large contingent of security personnel swarmed the blast site and cordoned it off for security purposes.

The former minister is in the run for a provincial assembly seat (PK-99). He remained provincial agricultural minister in the previous government of the party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

PTI chairman Imran Khan said that he was saddened to learn that Gandapur had succumbed to his injuries. The party also released a statement stating they are extremely saddened about the passing away of Gandapur.

“Extremely saddened about our much respected and loved Ikram Gandapur passing away after being injured in a suicide attack earlier today. Our hearts weep for him and his family and we pray for both,” said the PTI in a statement.

Saddened to learn that Ikram Gandapur succumbed to his injuries. My prayers go to his family. May Allah give them the strength to bear this loss.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) July 22, 2018

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has also condemned the attacked the Gandapur, and said the nation has lost another patriotic leaders targeted by the enemies of peace and the democratic process.

“We have lost another patriotic political leader who are being targeted by enemies of peace & democratic process. We stay determined & steadfast. Blood of our martyrs shall not go waste,” the army chief was quoted as saying by the Inter-Services Public Relations.

COAS expresses his grief on martyrdom of Ikramullah Gandapur in suicide attack. “We have lost another patriotic political leader who are being targeted by enemies of peace & democratic process. We stay determined & steadfast. Blood of our martyrs shall not go waste, IA”, COAS.

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) July 22, 2018

This is the latest in a series of attacks targeting election candidates in the country in the past few weeks. On July 13, more than 150 people were killed and 180 injured in two separate terror attacks during election-related activities in Balochistan and KP.

Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) candidate Nawabzada Siraj Raisani was among 142 people killed in a suicide attack on an election rally in the Mastung area. Around 150 people were injured in the tragic incident.

Separately, a bomb targeted the convoy of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) candidate Akram Khan Durrani in a Bannu this morning. He, however, escaped unhurt while four people were killed and 14 others injured in attack.