A large number of people attended the funeral prayer for independent candidate Rehan Zeb Khan who was shot dead on Wednesday evening.
Rehan, who was in the electoral race as an independent candidate for NA-8 and PK-22, fell victim to fatal shooting in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He was laid to rest amid thousands mourning.
Soon after the incident, Khar police SHO Rasheed Khan said independent candidate Rehan Zeb Khan was busy in his election campaign in the locality when assailants opened fire on his vehicle.
Despite swift efforts to transport Rehan to the District Headquarters Hospital, he succumbed to the injuries. Four other people suffered injuries in the incident, said the SHO.
Bajaur District Police Officer Kashif Zulfiqar expressed suspicion that the incident was "targeted killing" and revealed the efforts by law-enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough search operation in the vicinity.
On the other hand, the PTI denounced the assassination and claimed that Rehan was its candidate for a National Assembly seat. However, the PTI, according to its website, issued ticket to Gul Zafar Khan and Guldad Khan for national and provincial assembly seats, respectively.
The PTI blamed the caretaker government for failing to ensure security, citing incidents of violence, including an attack on the party's election rally in Sibi.
Demanding an immediate investigation, the party called for stringent measures against the perpetrators and urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to intervene.