Prominent social activist gunned down

DERA ALLAHYAR: Mir Rustom Marri, a prominent social activist and a former BNP District President, was gunned down here on Thursday evening. Armed snipers riding a motorcycle gunned him down as he came out of his residence as usual. He received several bullet wounds on different parts of his body and died on the spot. There was deep shock and anger in the locality where the murder took place. He was intercepted and gunned down near the Sobatpur Chowk and the sharp shooters fired shots from a close range ensuring his instant death. Residents of the area termed it a broad daylight political murder of a prominent political opponent of the Government. Mr. Rafiq Khoso, a prominent leader of the Balochistan Republican Party (BRP), on record told newsmen that it was a political murder and he blamed the Government for extra-judicial killing of Baloch nationalist leader. Rustom Marri remained a coordinator with the international aid agencies and international humanitarian agencies providing help to the internally displaced persons of Marri and Bugti Tribal territories for years. He was actively associated with the relief operation for the Baloch IDPs and also the flood affected people of Jaffarabad. Rustom Marri was lately affiliated with the Baloch National Voice, formerly the Marri Ittehad. He had been holding the position of Secretary General of the entire region.