Maola Bakhsh Dashti killed

The former BSO chairman, Kech Nazim and the NP's leading activist Maula Bukhsh Dashti was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the town of Turbat, the East Baluchistan. His attackers escaped on a motorbike.

Two of Mr Dashti's companions were also injured in the shooting. No group has said it carried out the attack.

Thousands of people with tearful eyes attended Mr Dashti's funeral in Turbat, where shops were shut in protest at his killing. A further three days mourning has been called by the NP.

It remains unclear who might have shot Mr Dashti. However, Pakistan's shadowy security agents are frequently orchestrating targeted killings of popular Baluch leaders and then blaming insurgents.