DERA ISMAEL KHAN: A friend of Naqeebullah Mehsud, Aftab Mehsud, was shot dead on Friday night in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan Today has learnt.

Sources privy to the development told Pakistan Today that Aftab Mehsud was an active participant of the Pashtun long march, which was initiated in the aftermath of the killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud in a fake encounter by then Malir Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Rao Anwar in Karachi.

They further said that Aftab Mehsud left home on Friday but didn’t return, adding that his family received a phone call from the Saddar Police Station at 12:00 pm on Saturday, saying that Aftab’s dead body has been found at an under-construction house on Diyal Road.

“There are bullet marks on his body, but nothing can be said about the cause of murder for now.”

“An FIR [First Information Report] has been registered against unknown assailants,” they added.

According to news reports, a piece of paper was also found with the body on which names of the victim and his father and his telephone number were written.

Talking to Pakistan Today, a police official said there was a possibility that the incident was a result of “honour killing” as the corpse also bore torture marks.

“If he wasn’t killed for honour then someone made it look like that to divert the attention of the investigation officers,” he added.

He further said that the police are also looking at prospects of the intelligence agencies’ involvement in the incident because of the victim’s connection with Naqeebullah.

“However, it is too soon to say anything till further investigations,” he concluded.