The murder of Dr. Shahid Siddique, a founding member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has left his relatives and party in shock, with police alleging on Monday that his own son engineered the crime.
Dr. Siddique was shot dead by an unknown assailant outside a mosque after Friday prayers in Lahore’s Valencia Town area. His son, Qayyum, who was present at the scene, escaped unharmed.
According to the police, Qayyum orchestrated his father’s murder with a friend due to Dr. Siddique’s refusal to let him marry a girl of his choice. In January, Qayyum had initially offered Rs5 million to have his father killed for the same reason. The police added that Qayyum eventually paid Rs20 million for the second attempt, which resulted in Dr. Siddique’s death.
Dr. Siddique, a prominent figure in the medical community and owner of a private hospital in Johar Town, was under surveillance by a white car in which Qayyum was also present. On the day of the murder, Dr. Siddique withdrew cash from a bank and distributed it to needy individuals while being followed by the car. Surveillance footage obtained by the police shows Qayyum conducting reconnaissance with the prime suspect.
Shockingly, the same son who masterminded the murder led his father’s funeral prayer. Dr. Siddique had contested the 2002 general elections and served as a senior member of PTI Punjab for over a decade. The PTI leadership has condemned the killing and demanded severe action against those responsible.
Following the crime, police collected bullet shells from the scene and formed four dedicated teams to apprehend the shooters. This was the second attempt on Dr. Siddique’s life, as he had previously survived a murder attempt in the Chuhng area in January, with the culprits remaining unidentified.
