The absconding assailant, police say, is a nephew of Ansari's deceased brother-in-law, Zahid Khokar
NAUSHEHRO FEROZ: A PPP MPA, Shahnaz Ansari, was shot dead on Saturday in Darya Khan, Naushehro Feroze, Sindh police said.
Ansari, a PPP MPA who was nominated on a reserved seat, was allegedly gunned down by a nephew of her recently deceased brother-in-law, Zahid Khokhar, police said.
The PPP leader was attending Khokar's chehlum when the attack took place. She was rushed to the People's Medical Hospital, Nawabshah, but passed away before she reached, according to doctors at the hospital.
Police said that Ansari had decided to attend her brother-in-law's chehlum knowing about the tensions that existed between her and Khokhar's nephew.
Police said an investigation will be conducted to ascertain how many individuals were involved in the attack on Ansari.
Initial reports suggested that the attack was motivated by a longstanding land dispute. Khokhar's nephews had been claiming the rights to the disputed land stating that there had been no rightful heir to it.
Ansari had recently written to the deputy commissioner Naushehro Feroze and the senior superintendent police (SSP) to inform that she and her sister feared for their lives after Zahid Khokhar's passing.
Her husband, Dr Hameed Ansari, told the media that she had constantly been receiving death threats, and that she had informed SSP Farooq Ahmad about them.
"We had requested a police squad [for protection]," he said.
"There was no police present at the place where the chehlum was being held," he said.
Shehnaz Ansari was reportedly active within the PPP and was deeply involved in Sindh's political scene.She was also the district president of the PPP Women's Wing in her constituency.
Hundreds of PPP workers had reached the hospital as soon as news broke about her murder.