Taliban guns down Pak politician's son

Peshawar, July 25(ANI): The only son of a Pakistan politician, Iftikhar Hussain, known for his outspoken criticism of the Taliban, has been killed by suspected Taliban gunmen in Nowshera.

According to reports, two motorcyclists opened fire on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Information Minister's son, Rashid Hussain, while he was out for a walk with a cousin.

Rashid died on the spot, while his cousin Amjad was seriously injured in the attack.

The 30-year-old was working as an assistant director with the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA).

For the past two years, Hussain had been receiving death threats from militants for his outspoken opposition to terrorism.

According to CBS News, a senior intelligence official in Peshawar said that the killing could be the first targeted attack since a video of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)'s Swat chapter chief Mullah Fazlullah promised revenge against Pakistan's civilian and military rulers.

"The investigation is looking especially at the angle of this killing being the first act of bloodshed under orders from Fazlullah," CBS News quoted the official, as saying.

"The circumstantial evidence and information based on recent intelligence intercepts is exceptionally strong. This is increasingly looking like Fazlullah's fingerprints [are] all over the killing," the official added. (ANI)