PPP's Shaukat Basra injured, aide killed in party camp attack

HAROONABAD: Pakistan People’s Party leader Shaukat Basra was injured and his secretary was killed when unknown persons opened fire at a PPP protest camp in Haroonabad city in Punjab, ARY News reported.

According to details, the PPP leader was holding a protest sit-in against a member of National Assembly and a member of Punjab Assembly when unknown armed men opened indiscriminate fire at the protest camp.

Shaukat Basra suffered injuries while his secretary , Imtiaz Ahmad, was killed on the spot.

The PPP leader was rushed to a hospital. His condition is now said to be out of danger.

An FIR has been registered against the incident in a police station. Later, Basra was shifted to Karachi through a special plane.

Shaukat Mahmood Basra was elected in the Punjab Assembly from PP-283 Bahawalnagar-VII constituency on the ticket of PPP.

He has also served as Parliamentary Secretary from 31st January 2009 to 26th February 2011.

The PPP leaders in the National Assembly protested against the killing of their leader. They demanded arrest of the people nominated in FIR. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf backed their demand.

PPP leader Naveed Qamar said the attack was a shameful act and such incidents would hamper campaign of next general elections.

Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada said two people were arrested, while indiscriminate action would be taken against all those who assailed Basra.

Co-chairman of PPP and former president Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits behind the incident.

The PPP holds the Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif directly responsible for this gruesome attack and demands immediate arrest of the culprits involved and to bring them to justice, the former president said in a statement.

Zardari also offered his heartfelt condolences to the family of martyred Imtiaz Ahmad and commiserated with the injured.