Nadra assistant director shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Peshawar's Hayatabad: police

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>PESHAWAR: An assistant director of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) was shot dead by unidentified gunmen near the authority’s office in Peshawar’s Hayatabad area on Friday morning, police said.</p> <p>The official was identified as Fahad Khan, the nephew of MNA Noor Alam Khan. According to city police spokesperson Alam Khan, he was shot in an area behind the Nadra office, within the jurisdiction of Hayatabad police station.</p> <p>Police reached the scene after being informed of the incident and recovered eight spent .30-bore pistol casings, spokesperson Khan said.</p> <p>The victim’s body was shifted to a hospital for a post-mortem examination, he added.</p> <figure class='media w-full sm:w-1/2 media--right media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.dawn.com/news/2020297'> <div class='media__item media__item--newskitlink '> <iframe class="nk-iframe" width="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height:250px;position:relative" src="https://www.dawn.com/news/card/2020297" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms"></iframe></div> </figure> <p>The police spokesperson added that an investigation was under way to determine the circumstances surrounding the killing and identify the perpetrators.</p> <p>KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi termed the incident “absolutely condemnable and unacceptable”.</p> <p>He said he had directed the Peshawar capital city police officer to “ensure a swift and comprehensive investigation, with no room for delay, negligence or leniency”.</p> <p>“Every individual involved must face the full force of the law,” he said.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed media--uneven media--tweet' data-original-src='https://x.com/fkkundi/status/2118659601973534881'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '><span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/fkkundi/status/2118659601973534881"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> </figure> <p>Later in the day, Kundi told reporters that he had spoken with the Peshawar police chief and that the suspect would be identified using surveillance cameras and arrested soon.</p> <p>“There were land disputes ongoing; we are looking into whether that was behind the incident, or if it was some other issue,” he said.</p> <p>National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq expressed “deep sorrow and regret” over the official’s demise. He also extended condolences and sympathy to the victim’s family.</p> <p>“The (suspects) involved in the incident should be arrested as soon as possible and brought to justice,” the NA speaker said on X.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed media--uneven media--tweet' data-original-src='https://x.com/NAofPakistan/status/2118629015892439384'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '><span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/NAofPakistan/status/2118629015892439384"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> </figure> <p>KP has seen a rise in terrorist attacks over the past year.</p> <p>According to the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="link--external" href="https://crss.pk/border-closure-brings-down-terrorist-violence/"><u>Annual Security Report 2025</u></a> from the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), KP recorded a significant surge in violence last year as “fatalities rose from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025”.</p> This development from dawn.com highlights ongoing changes in the sector.