DERA ISMAIL KHAN: PTI candidate Ikramullah Gandapur – contesting elections on provincial assembly seat from the constituency of PK-99 – was gravely injured in a suicide blast at Kulachi area here today.

According to details, Gandapur was on his way back home after addressing a corner meeting when the attacker detonated near his vehicle killing the driver, seriously injuring Gandapur, two policemen escorting him and a passerby. Ikramullah Khan Gandapur was shifted to Combined Military Hospital in critical condition and other injured were taken to District Headquarter Hospital here. 

 Body parts of the suicide bombers were collected from the site for forensic tests. PTI chief Imran Khan took to the twitter to condemn the attack: “Strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack against Ikram(ullah) Khan Gandapur and his convoy today. May Allah grant Ikram and the other injured a speedy recovery”.When contacted, the area police claimed that though LEAs had already informed Gandapur apropos death threats to him, he opted to move sans informing the authorities that have assigned thirteen gunmen for his security. Gandapur held the portfolio of agriculture and livestock minister in PTI’s last government.  

Readers may recall that Ikramullah’s brother Israrullah Gandapur (PTI Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs, and Human Rights) too was bombed to death along with seven others while he was greeting people during Eid-ul-Azha in October 2013.