Pak’s Punjab home minister assassinated

Pakistan’s Punjab province Home Minister Shuja Khanzada was on Sunday assassinated in a suicide blast. Colonel (<g data-gr-id="15" style="color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 11px;">retd</g>) Khanzada, along with eight others was killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at his house in Shadi Khal village in Attock district. Deputy Superintendent of Police Shaukat Shah also died in the blast. Around 50-100 people were estimated to have been in attendance at the Jirga (congregation) being held at Khanzada’s house which also served as his political office. Many of the victims were buried underneath the wreckage as the entire structure collapsed due to the explosion.

Pakistan newspaper Dawn was quoted saying that sources in the interior ministry as saying that banned outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has taken responsibility of the suicide attack on Khanzada. The minister was under threat following the killing of LeJ Chief Malik Ishaq. He was given charge of the home department in October 2014 and had been actively involved in major operations against terror outfits.