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PESHAWAR: Sartaj Khan a young leader of Awami National Party (ANP) was shot dead by unknown bike riders in Gulbahar area of Peshawar on Saturday afternoon.
Sartaj Khan driving his own car was passing through a most busy road of Gulbahar just adjacent to Gulbahar Plice Station was shot dead by unknown bike riders. He lost his last breath on the spot. Whereas the assailants succeeded in escape.
Soon after the incident local people gathered on the site and they shifted Sartaj Khan to Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar where he was declared dead. So far no one claimed responsibility for his killing.
Killing news of Sartaj, most popular young leader of ANP spread like jungle fire in all over Peshawar city and dozens of activists rushed to LRH and ANP Peshawar city office situated near to Bala Hisar Fort on G. T. Road. The angry and sentimental activists went on protest and they blocked the main G.T. Road.
Amidst chanting of slogans against government and setting tyrs on fire, they blocked the main G.T.Road for traffic. Later the protesters were joined by ANP Central Secretary General Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Provincial General Secretary Sardar Hussain Babak and others.
Asfandyar Wali Khan ANP central President has shown sever resentment over assassination of Sartaj Khan and termed it an act of target killing and terror. He through a statement has made questions about tall claims of ending terror and flushing away militants from the area and said that under a well planned ways, ANP activists are being targeted just to force them of raising voices in favour of peace, supremacy of parliament and constitution, rule of law and independence of judiciary in its true sense. He made it clear that ANP would continue its efforts for such causes whatever may be its price.
Other ANP leaders Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Sardar Hussain Babak and former Senator Shahi Syed have also grave concern over target killing of young and energetic Sartaj Khan and termed it a great loss for the party.
Beside serving as ANP Peshawar city its president, Sartaj was also member of party’s high level bodies including Central Executive Committee and Think-tanks.
Since 2008 lasta large number of leading ANP leaders fell victim of terror. Couple of days back Sartaj has chaired party meeting in connection with first death anniversary of Barristyer Haroon Bilour who was targeted by a suicide bomber on July 10, 2018 only 15 days before of July 25 general elections. Sucide attack against Barrister Haroon Bilour has made bad impacts on ANP performances in last year general elections. And now Sartaj was leading ANP candidates election campaign in Khyber and Mohmand districts, scheduled to be held on July 20 next.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan taking a notice of young Sartaj Khan assassination directed police to early arrest the culprits involved in this immoral act.
