Kandahar’s deputy governor laid to rest

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): The deputy governor of southern Kandahar province, Abdul Qayyum Patyal, was laid to rest on Monday in a graveyard on the Kandahar University campus, where he was gunned down by unknown assailants a day earlier.

Patyal was sitting in a classroom in the university at 7pm when unidentified gunmen sprayed him with bullets through a window . He was rushed to the Mirwais Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.

His funeral prayers were attended by acting governor Dr. Toryalai Weesa, other government officials, relatives and literary figures. Weesa said investigation had been launched and President Ashraf Ghani had appointed a high-level delegation in this regard.

He called Patyal a sensible young official and a distinguished literary figure, who had been playing an active role in the country’s rebuilding and promoting its culture. He said Patyal was a soft target because he would not take with him bodyguards to the university.

The deputy governor’s father, Haji Sardar, told reporters after the funeral that Patyal had three children. In a broken voice, he said: “There was grief in home of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) on the 10th of Muharram and there is grief in my home today.”

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the assassination of Patyal. The group’s spokesman, Qari Yusuf Ahmadi said Patyal was killed by one of their men and the assassin had safely returned to the group.

ma/mud

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