Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chief Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao narrowly escaped firing and suicide bomb attack on Thursday, however a policeman was martyred in the incident.
According to the police, an armed man fired shots at Sherpao’s vehicle moving in a convoy of security and other vehicles in Umerzai area of Charsadda.
According to Charsadda DPO Shafiullah, the attacker first fired at Sherpao’s convoy. When his guards fired back, he blew himself up. He said the blast killed one policeman and there are fears the death toll could rise. He said the suicide bomber was around 22 to 23 years old. Later on, three hand grenades were seized from the attacker.
Sherpao’s son Sikandar Sherpao and a member of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were also part of the caravan. Sikandar said that they were visiting Charsadda to attend Alamzeb Omerzai’s death anniversary. “We were on our way back to Peshawar when the attacker targeted the convoy. By the grace of God, my father is safe,” he said.
Prime Minister Mian Nawaz and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan have condemned the suicide attack and sought report from authorities concerned.