The car of federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz was reportedly fired upon in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Darra Adamkhel area while he was on his way to Kohat, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday.

       He said while Faraz had remained safe in the incident, his driver had been taken to hospital with critical injuries.

       "[We] strongly condemn this attack," Chaudhry tweeted.

       When approached, Kohat Division Regional Police Officer DIG Tahir Ayub told Dawn.com that Faraz's car was stoned during a protest and denied that firing had taken place.

       He said Faraz's vehicle passed from the area when some groups that oppose the merge of tribal areas with KP were staging a protest. The protesters threw stones at the minister's car but he remained safe.

       According to DIG Ayub, Faraz was accompanied by police squads which safely took him out of the situation.

       Local police also denied that the minister had come under a gun attack, saying his driver was injured after protesters threw stones at his car.

       Attempts to reach Faraz via telephone were unsuccessful.