Shibli Faraz escapes attack on vehicle unharmed at Darra Adam Khel

• Shibli Faraz attacked by mob of "young" people, carrying "black flags".
• Shots fired at minister's vehicle but he remained safe; driver wounded.
• Interior minister seeks report from KP chief secretary, inspector general of police.

DARRA ADAM KHEL: Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz on Sunday escaped an attack unharmed as he was on his way from his ancestral town of Kohat to Peshawar city.

Unidentified assailants attacked his car, shattering the windows.

As news broke of the incident, Faraz told the media that he is safe but his driver has been injured and is being transported to Peshawar for medical attention.

In a tweet later, the minister said that his vehicle was attacked by a mob which also fired shots.

"I remained safe miraculously," he wrote, adding that his driver was injured and has been administered emergency medical care.

He thanked his friends, the media and all those who wished him well.

Faraz, in a later conversation with the media, said that the group of people were "young" and carrying "black flags". "I could not read the lettering on the flags as it was [after sundown]," he said.

"A group of about 40-50 people attacked the security vehicle ahead of mine. When the vehicle moved ahead, they fired shots at it," said the minister.

He said that his vehicle was attacked next, adding that he is still in disbelief he was able to escape unscathed.

Faraz said that the group even gave chase to his car, but he reached Peshawar safely. He said his driver was wounded gravely enough to have been bleeding the whole time, but that it is not clear at the moment what caused it.

The minister said he does not believe it was a politically motivated attack.

Interior minister condemns attack, seeks report

Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed condemned the "assassination attempt" and sought a report from the chief secretary and inspector general of police of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He prayed for the quick recovery of Faraz's driver and guard.

KP CM seeks report from police

Confusion over nature of attack

Earlier, varying accounts of the nature of the attack surfaced.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry tweeted moments after the news broke, saying that Faraz had been attacked by gunmen at Darra Adam Khel.

"Thankfully, he remained safe but unfortunately the driver is seriously injured and has been transported to the hospital.

"We strongly condemn this incident," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General Kohat Tahir Ayub, while speaking to Geo News, said that it wasn't a firing incident and that the minister's vehicle was pelted with stones.

"Shibli Faraz was returning to Peshawar after casting his vote in his constituency," the DIG said.

DIG Ayub said that due to the pelting of stones, one police personnel was injured and has since been ruled to be out of danger. The front windscreen of Faraz's vehicle was damaged, he added.

The police official explained that a police squad had been accompanying Faraz. He said that the minister has been transported safely to Peshawar.

Violence-marred polls

The counting of votes in local government elections across 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is underway after the close of polling time at 5pm, on a day that saw several incidents of violence break out.

Tensions ran high in different parts of the province, with at least four people killed and several injured in a series of attacks including a suicide bombing and a shooting. There were also reports of rockets being fired.

A violence-marred beginning to the local government elections in the province was thus witnessed, with today's polls marking the first phase. The next phase will take place at a later date.