Peshawar, Aug 11 (PTI): A senior Khyber Pakhtunkhwa leader from jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party on Tuesday criticised the killing of a gunman who allegedly opened fire at a check post near the army's General Headquarters in Pakistan's Rawalpindi.

Earlier in the day, a gunman opened fire at security officers, prompting them to retaliate. The police claimed the attacker was affiliated with Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

"The attacker, Muhammad Hussain, was immediately killed in retaliatory fire," said a statement by Rawalpindi police.

Shafiullah Jan, who is also the information minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province governed by Khan’s party, said the deceased, Muhammad Hussain, was reportedly suffering from mental health issues, adding that the incident is highly condemnable.

The Rawalpindi police said that evidence skimmed from the mobile phone of the dead man showed that he was associated with a political party.

The "links have emerged from his mobile phone and other belongings," they said.

Citing security sources, state-run PTV News said the assailant was a resident of Khyber district and an "active PTI member". A PTI flag, bullets and weapons were also recovered from him, it added.

Meanwhile, the party's Islamabad regional president, Amir Mughal, said the party believed in peaceful and unarmed political struggle and rejected any attempt to associate it with acts of violence.

The party has been trying to mobilise masses to protest against the incarceration of its founder Imran Khan, who has been in jail since August 5, 2023. PTI AYZ SKS SKS SKS

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