LAHORE: The murder of Dr. Shahid Siddique, a founding member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been linked to his own son, according to police. Dr. Siddique was shot dead outside a mosque in Lahore’s Valencia Town area after Friday prayers. His son, Qayyum, was at the scene but was not injured.
Police allege that Qayyum plotted his father’s murder with a friend because Dr. Siddique refused to let him marry his chosen partner. Qayyum had previously arranged a Rs5 million deal for a failed attempt in January and later paid Rs20 million for the successful attack.
Dr. Siddique, who was also a prominent figure in the medical field and owned a private hospital in Johar Town, was followed by a white car, which police believe was used for surveillance. CCTV footage reportedly shows Qayyum scouting the area with the main suspect.
Shockingly, Qayyum led his father’s funeral prayers despite being the mastermind behind the murder. Dr. Siddique, a senior PTI member, had also run for office in the 2002 general elections.
The PTI leadership has condemned the killing and called for strict action against those involved. The police have collected bullet shells from the crime scene and formed four teams to capture the shooters. This was not the first attack on Dr. Siddique; he survived a previous attempt in Chuhng in January, but the culprits were never found.