Woman politician, two others shot dead in Pakistan’s Punjab

A local woman political leader and two men were shot dead in a suspected murder-suicide in the city of Bhakkar in Pakistan’s Punjab province, police said.

Samrah Batool, the district president of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Women Wing, was gunned down at her residence in Mandi Town, near the Mill Gate Chaubara area.

The first information report (FIR) was lodged at the City Police Station by Batool’s brother. He stated that Batool and a man named Irfan Bhatti were at home when a man identified as Sanaullah entered the house with a pistol and opened fire.

Both Batool and Bhatti were killed on the spot.

According to the FIR, the attacker then turned the weapon on himself. Forensic analysis confirmed that Sanaullah died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head fired at close range.

The complainant told police that Sanaullah had a financial dispute with Batool, which he believes was the motive behind the attack.

Police and forensic teams responded immediately to the scene. The bodies of all three victims were transferred to the District Headquarters Hospital in Bhakkar for post-mortem examinations.

Legal proceedings have begun, and police say they are investigating the case from all angles.

District Police Officer (DPO) Bhakkar Shehzad Rafique said the incident appeared to be a vindictive killing. He confirmed that Samrah Batool, also referred to as Sammar Batool in the report, had been living separately from her family.

The DPO added that Batool’s son, Yasir Abbas, and his cousin, Zain, were present at the crime scene and told police that Irfan Bhatti had come to visit Batool earlier that day. The two stepped out to collect cash from a nearby EasyPaisa shop, and when they returned, the shooting had already occurred.

DPO Rafique said that CCTV footage and available circumstantial evidence suggest that Sanaullah first shot Irfan Bhatti and Samrah Batool, then killed himself. A single gunshot wound was found on the right side of Sanaullah’s head, with visible blackening around the wound indicating it was fired at close range.

He added that forensic evidence had been collected by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA), CCTV footage from nearby cameras had been analyzed, and intelligence gathering was underway. Legal proceedings have been initiated accordingly.