Assassination attempts on political leaders in Pakistan

 

Assassinations attempts have been made on numerous political leaders in the country. 

Four attempts were made to murder former president Pervez Musharraf, while more recently Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan survived an assassination attempt in Karachi. 

Pervez Musharraf 

In 2000, Kamran Atif, had tried to assassinate Musharraf. Atif was sentenced to death in 2006 by an Anti-Terrorism Court. 

On 14 December 2003, Musharraf yet again survived an assassination attempt when a powerful bomb went off minutes after his highly-guarded convoy crossed a bridge in Rawalpindi. 

 

Two suicide bombers tried to assassinate Musharraf December 25, 2003, but their car bombs failed to kill him; 16 others died instead. The former president escaped with only a cracked windshield on his car. 

Another attempt to murder Musharraf was made on July 6, 2007, when an unknown group fired a 7.62 submachine gun at Musharraf's plane as it took off from a runway in Rawalpindi.

Izharul Hassan 

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan survived an assassination attempt on September 2, 2017. 

 

Four assailants on two motorcycles opened fire on the MQM-P leader as he exited a mosque after Namaz-e-Eid in the city's Bufferzone area.

According to Hassan, the assailants were wearing helmets and garbed in police uniforms. 

A child and one of Hassan's security guards were killed in the attack. 

Rashid Godil

Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Rashid Godil was critically wounded after unidentified armed men opened fire at his vehicle near his residence in Karachi's Bahadurabad area on August 18, 2015. 

 

Godil's driver, who was also injured in the incident, was shifted to a private hospital where succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Godil was traveling with his driver and a family member when the attack took place. 

Unidentified motorcycle-riding armed men intercepted Godil's vehicle and fired eight bullets after identifying the Muttahida leader.