BAJAUR – The funeral prayer of Maulana Khan Zeb, senior leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) and Secretary for Religious Affairs, was held in his native town of Nawagai, a day after he was shot and killed.
A large crowd of mourners, including thousands of locals, political workers, and tribal elders, attended the funeral. Prominent attendees included ANP’s provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain, senior leader Sardar Hussain Babak, MNAs from Bajaur Nisar Baz, Dr. Hameed, and Anwar Zeb Khan. Maulana Khan Zeb was laid to rest in his hometown, and emotional scenes with tearful attendees marked the funeral. Earlier in the day, the funeral of police constable Sherzada, who was also killed in the same incident, was held with a large public turnout paying respects to the fallen officer.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) issued a statement condemning the killing, hailing Khan Zeb as “a leading peace campaigner and political leader of the ANP”. “We demand a swift and impartial inquiry into this tragic incident,” the rights body wrote in a statement on X. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday expressed his grief over the assassination of Awami National Party leader Maulana Khan Zeb in a targeted attack in Bajaur that took place on Thursday. Remembering the slain ANP leader as a “very fine soul, and a staunch advocate for peace,” the prime minister wrote on X that he was “grieved to learn about the assassination of Maulana Khan Zeb in a cowardly targeted attack in Bajaur.” He extended his heartfelt condolences to the grieved family, colleagues, and the people of Bajaur and prayed for peace for the departed soul.