ISLAMABAD, July 27 (Xinhua) — Pakistan’s Baluchistan provincial government spokesman Abdul Raziq Bugti was shot dead Friday by unknown gunmen, local TV channels reported.
Raziq Bugti died on the spot when the unidentified armed group sprayed volley of bullets at his vehicle at Zarghon Road in Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan, private Geo TV reported, quoting police.
Raziq Bugti, 55, was alone and driving his vehicle and no security guard was along with him when assailants opened fire at the vehicle, said the Geo report, quoting eyewitnesses.
The incident occurred at about 4:15 p.m. (GMT1115) and the body of Raziq Bugti has been shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta, Geo said.
An earlier report of private DAWN NEWS TV said two gunmen were riding a motorcycle.
There has no immediate responsibility claim for the attack.
Attacks on government installations or public assets have been usual happenings in the southwest remote region where anti-government tribal people continued campaigning for more autonomy and bigger royalties share from the local natural resources.
Since early July, Pakistan has seen a series of attacks across the country, most of which targeted security forces and were considered to be religious extremists’ backlash from the government operation against Islamabad-based hard-line Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque.
Abdullah Mehsud, a militant leader mostly based in northwestern Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal region, blew himself up on July 24 to avoid arrest when law enforcement officials raided a house in district Zhob of Baluchistan, according to officials.