Pakistan minister, wife found dead
BULLET-RIDDLED BODIES WERE FOUND IN BEDROOM OF THEIR KARACHI HOME
Asenior Pakistani provincial minister, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, and his wife were yesterday found dead at their house in the port city of Karachi, police said.
Bijarani, a veteran leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was the Planning and Development Minister in Sindh province, the Dawn reported.
Bijarani and his wife Fariha Razzaq, who was a journalist, were found dead in their bedroom, the door to which was locked. The cause of death is yet to be ascertained. Bijarani had served both in the federal and provincial governments.
Members of Bijarani’s family and PPP officials have confirmed to the media that Bijarani and his wife were found dead at their home and had suffered bullet wounds. Police sources said Bijarani was shot once and four misfired bullets were found at the scene.
Senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani and his wife, former MPA Fareeha Razzaq, were found shot dead in their home in Karachi’s Defence yesterday. Police said they have found the bullet-riddled bodies and investigations are on to determine if it was a case of suicide or murder.
Senior police officer Tauqeer Naeem says household workers found the bodies of the couple in their bedroom yesterday and that there was no sign of robbery.
Media reports quoting family sources said the sound of firing was heard before the tragic incident. The bodies were recovered after breaking down the door of their room.
Sources said Bijarani’s son, MNA Mir Shabbir Ali Bijarani, was at Bilawal House for a meeting when he was informed about the incident.
The veteran politician has served several times as federal and provincial minister during the tenures of PPP.
He was provincial lawmaker, elected from Kashmore. He was also Provincial Minister for Planning and Development. He was politically close to slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto.
Bijarani was elected from the PS-16 constituency of Jacobabad-Kashmore and has remained an MNA and senator.
Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal and several other party leaders and workers have also reached at Meer Hazar Khan Bijarani residence.
Shutter down has been announced in the native town of Meer Hazar Khan Bijarani.
Shot in the head
According to sources, the senior PPP minister committed suicide allegedly after killing his wife. PPP leader Nasir Hussain Shah said the preliminary investigation shows that both were shot in the head.
He said there was no sign of stress on Bijarani’s face when he attended the cabinet meeting yesterday (Wednesday). “He (Hazar Bijarani) was not that person who would commit suicide,” Shah said
PPP has announced threeday mourning and no political activity will be held during the said days.
He was elected as a Member of National Assembly of Pakistan in 1990-1997 and served as Member of Provincial Assembly of Sindh in 1974, 1977 and 2013.
He also served as a senator in 1988.