ANP leader Maulana Khan Zeb among two killed in Bajaur

By Tahir Khan

ISLAMABAD: A central leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) Maulana Khan Zeb was killed in a firing incident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur tribal district on Thursday, the ANP spokesman engineer Ehsan said.

Zeb’s another colleague, Dr Tariq, was also killed in firing by unidentified gunmen.

“This is a great loss for the part,” the ANP spokesman said in a statement.

The ANP leader came under attack in the Shindai Mor area near Khar Tehsil headquarters when the gunmen sprayed bullets at his car, according to locals.

The assailants fled after the attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.

Maulana Khan Zeb was the ANP’s National Assembly candidate from Bajaur. He was campaigning for a peace march to be held in Bajaur on July 13.

Three more people were also injured in the attack, according to hospital sources.

This is second terrorist attack in Bajaur during the last two weeks. On July 2, an assistant commissioner and four other people were killed and 11 others injured as a government vehicle was targeted in the district.

Daesh had claimed responsibility for the attack, which was also previously claimed by the banned TTP.

ANP announces three-day mourning

ANP Party Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Mian Iftikhar Hussain, while strongly condemning “the cowardly murderous attack on Maulana Khan Zeb and his associates”, announced that the KP chapter of the party will observe three days of mourning.

“All activities will remain suspended, and all workers will offer fateha for the martyrs, he said in a post on the official X account of ANP.

He directed the party workers that along with the ANP flags, black flags should also be hoisted as a sign of protest and mourning.

مولانا خانزیب کی شہادت — میاں افتخار حسین کا تین روزہ سوگ کا اعلان pic.twitter.com/49PpZ8O7tx

— Awami National Party (@ANPMarkaz) July 10, 2025

Hussain said this attack is not only an attack on ANP but also on Pakhtun consciousness, peace, and resistance politics.

“The public killing of a brave, ideological, and peaceful religious scholar like Maulana Khan Zeb is clear evidence that terrorists have once again been given free rein in our areas in a systematic manner, and state institutions are watching all this happening with complete silence.”

Chief minister takes notice

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the attack on ANP leader and sought a report from the concerned provincial authorities.

In a statement, the chief minister expressed his heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the deceased.

باجوڑ میں نامعلوم افراد کی فائرنگ سے مولانا خانزیب سمیت 2 افراد جاں بحق۔ وزیراعلی @AliAminKhanPTI کی مذمت، متعلقہ حکام سے واقعے کی رپورٹ طلب
وزیر اعلی کی جاں بحق افراد کے لواحقین سے دلی ہمدردی اور تعزیت کا اظہار، جاں بحق افراد کی مغفرت اور پسماندگان کے لیے صبر جمییل کی دعا pic.twitter.com/waVWkMsm73

— Government of KP (@GovernmentKP) July 10, 2025

He prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased and quick recovery for the injured ones.