Pakistani election official shot dead

An election official in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province was Tuesday shot dead by unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen in Quetta city, a media report said.

Geo News said the provincial deputy election commissioner, identified as Ziaullah, was on his way home from office when the gunmen attacked his vehicle near Chandi Chowk in the Satellite Town suburb.

The election officer's bodyguard, who was driving the car, was injured in the attack.
The attackers sped away from the site. A rickshaw driver took the injured officer to a hospital where he died from his injuries.

Soon after the attack, police blocked all exit roads in the area and launched a search operation.

Police officer Muhammad Tariq said the incident seemed to be an act of target killing.
"The two armed motorcyclists attacked the officer and he received eight bullets in his body," Tariq told Xinhua.

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf condemned the incident and asked for a prompt investigation into the killing.

Last week, the chief election commissioner of Balochistan province submitted a report to the Election Commission of Pakistan describing security threats in the province ahead of general elections.