Pakistani police probe Balochistan minister after killing of journalist

Anwar Jan was killed by two gunmen as he was walking to his home in the town of Barkhan

Pakistani police said Saturday they were investigating the shooting death of a local journalist to determine whether a provincial minister was behind the killing.

The development comes a day after the family of Anwar Jan accused Abdul Rehman Khetran, a minister for food in Baluchistan province, of hiring gunmen to kill Jan on Thursday.

Police officer Abdul Aziz said a murder investigation has been opened into Khetran's possible involvement. Khetran has denied being involved, saying the gunmen blamed by Jan's family for killing him were not his men.

Repeated attempts to reach Khetran for comment were unsuccessful.

Jan was killed by two gunmen as