Former Afghan lawmaker Mursal Nabizada, her bodyguard shot dead; probe underway

A former Afghan MP Mursal Nabizada and her bodyguard were shot dead by unknown assailants at her home in the capital city Kabul, stated reports. She was among the few parliamentarians who stayed back after Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

According to a report in Guardian, this is the first time a parliamentarian from the previous regime has been killed since the Taliban takeover.

Mursal Nabizada was shot dead, brother injured

The report further quoted local police chief Molvi Hamidullah Khalid saying that Mursal Nabizada and her guard were shot dead at around 3 am on Saturday in the same room and her brother & another guard were injured. Reportedly, the third guard fled the scene with money and jewellery.

The lawmakers reportedly died on the first floor of her home that she used as her office, said the police chief.

Condolences from former colleagues poured in

Abdullah Abdullah, who was a top official in Afghanistan's former Western-backed government, said he was saddened by Nabizada's death and hoped the perpetrators would be punished. He described her as a "representative and servant of the people."

A former Kandahar parliamentarian, Malalai Ishaqzai, also offered her condolences.

Who was Mursal Nabizada

Nabizada was voted to power in 2019 and represented Kabul; she stayed in office until the takeover. She was a member of the parliamentary defence commission and worked at a private non-governmental group called the Institute for Human Resources Development and Research.