Shuja Khanzada was known as one of the best leader against terrorism
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: First death anniversary of former Home Minister of Punjab Colonel (retd) Shuja Khanzada was observed on Tuesday.
In a message on the first death anniversary of Shuja Khanzada, the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that sacrifices of the martyrs in the war against terror will bring results and the menace will be eliminated from the country.
Shahbaz Sharif said that Shuja Khanzada was a heroic figure and nation will never forget his sacrifice for peace.
The Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed also paid rich tribute to the sacrifice of Shuja Khanzada.
“We pay tribute to martyred Shuja Khanzada for his courage and valor,” the minister said in a statement on Tuesday.
The minister expressed the resolve that terrorism and extremism will be eliminated at any cost.
Pervaiz Rasheed said that Pakistan is becoming a peaceful and secured country due to sacrifices of martyred.
Shuja Khanzada was killed in a suicide attack at his office in Shadikhan Attock district on August 16, 2015. He was known as enemy of terrorism and sectarianism and was killed by a sectarian banned outfit.
Shuja Khanzada was Home Minister of Punjab for one year before he was killed and had been fighting against terrorism till his death.
A banned religious outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) took claim of suicide attack on him that resulted killing of 25 people who were present in his Deara (political office). LeJ said that it took revenge of killing of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militant leader Malik Ishaq by the Punjab Police on the instruction of Khanzada in a police encounter. LeJ is now operating with the name of Jamaatul Ahrar and Daesh in Punjab. Khanzada had differences with some cabinet colleagues for his zero tolerance against terrorists.
On August 16, 2015, he was sitting in his office and meeting people of his area when two suicide bombers entered the building and blown them out while standing close with a pillar and the whole building was caved in after the blast.
Punjab government promised that a road connecting Karim Block Allama Iqbal Town and Jinnah Hospital would be named after Shuja Khanzada.
Shuja Khanzada was born on 28 August 1943 and joined Pakistan Army and retired from the rank of a Colonel. He joined politics after his retirement and became member of Provincial Assembly of Punjab in 2002, 2008 and then in 2013. He was appointed as Home Minister in 2014.
