The family of prominent Pakistani opposition politician Usman Khan Kakar says he has been killed in a “well-planned” attack by at least two assailants at his home in the northern province of Balochistan.
Kakar, a former senator and staunch critic of Pakistan’s powerful military and intelligence agencies, died at a hospital in Karachi on June 21.
His son Khushal Kakar told RFE/RL that the family found Kakar lying on a carpet in the guest room on June 17, with blood flowing from his head.
“It seemed that he was grabbed by one person and hit on the head by another person," Khushal said. But he didn’t say who carried out the attack.
Kakar, 60, was first admitted to hospital in his hometown of Quetta but was then transferred to the Agha Khan hospital in Karachi.
Initial reports suggested that his injury was caused by a fall. The hospital said the results of an autopsy will be released in the next few days.
Opposition senators demanded a probe into Kakar’s death to “dig out the truth.” There was no immediate comment from police.
Kakar, who was the regional leader of the nationalist Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, had mentioned receiving death threats.
Kakar openly criticized the military, accusing it of meddling in politics and undermining human rights. The Pakistani military has always rejected such allegations as baseless.
Kakar was also known for his outspoken remarks in support of freedom of expression, human rights, and democratic values.