Former PTI Nazim Found Dead in Swabi

The Swabi former nazim was found dead on Friday morning, hours after he left home in his vehicle following a phone call, police in the district said.

Unidentified assailants shot dead the Shahmansoor union council’s former nazim and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Mohammad Arshad, police said on Friday.

His brother, Mohammad Tariq, told the police that Arshad left his home in his vehicle on Thursday evening but did not return. He said the family became worried and started searching for him, as his mobile phone also remained switched off.

Tariq said that someone had called his brother on his mobile, and afterwards he left home. He added that the family did not know who had contacted him.

He said that a man named Aamir Khan informed him about his brother the next morning. When he reached the location, he found the body of his brother lying there.

Tariq said his vehicle, however, was missing and had apparently been taken away by the assailants. He told police that the family had no enmity.

Police open investigation in Swabi

Zaida police station SHO Raz Mohammad told Dawn that the body was shifted to Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital, Shahmansoor, for an autopsy.

“We have collected evidence from the crime scene and started an investigation. We will soon trace the accused,” he said.

The SHO said that the police were using modern technology to identify the culprits.

Police have registered a first information report against unidentified persons and launched an investigation.

A police official said preliminary indications suggested that Arshad had been shot at close range.

24News reported that gunmen opened fire on his vehicle in the Gajju Khan Meera area of Swabi. The channel described Arshad as a former district councillor and PTI district leader.

No arrests had been reported by the time the police confirmed the case. The motive remains unclear, and police have not said whether the killing was linked to politics, a personal dispute, or another cause.

Swabi former nazim case follows other killings

The killing is the latest in a series of targeted attacks reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country this week.

A National Database and Registration Authority assistant director was shot dead near his office in Peshawar earlier this week. Police are investigating that incident, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor has said no one involved will be spared.

In Karachi, a doctor was gunned down inside his clinic in Gulshan-i-Maymar on Thursday. A police spokesperson attributed that killing to personal enmity and said further investigations were under way.

The three cases share a pattern: the victims were attacked in the course of their daily routine, and the assailants escaped. In each case, police have registered a case and begun an investigation, but the attackers remain unidentified.

For Swabi, the questions now are who called Arshad on Thursday evening, where exactly he was taken, and where his vehicle went. The answers will decide whether the case is treated as a targeted killing or a crime with another motive.

Second tragedy in the same district

Meanwhile, a 35-year-old man, identified as Zeeshan Khan, drowned in the Indus River in Swabi.

A Rescue 1122 Swabi spokesperson told Dawn that the rescue service’s diving team and volunteers reached the spot and launched a search operation to recover the body.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mohammad Arshad?

Mohammad Arshad was the former nazim of the Shahmansoor union council in Swabi and a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). He was also described as a former district councillor.

What happened to him?

He left his home in his vehicle on Thursday evening after receiving a phone call and did not return. His family searched for him through the night. On Friday morning, his brother found his body. His vehicle was missing. Police said preliminary indications suggested he had been shot at close range.

What are police doing about the case?

Zaida police have registered a first information report against unidentified persons. SHO Raz Mohammad said evidence had been collected from the crime scene and an investigation had started. Police say they are using modern technology to identify the culprits.

Was there a second incident in Swabi?

Yes. A 35-year-old man, Zeeshan Khan, drowned in the Indus River. Rescue 1122 divers and volunteers launched a search operation to recover his body.