Militants fighting Afghan government, in the latest violent attack shot dead a local official in southern Ghazni province, police said Wednesday.

"Armed rebels gunned down Jawed Aalimi, director of administrative reforms in Ghazni city the capital of Ghazni province Tuesday evening," Deputy to provincial Police chief Abdul Rahman Shahidani told Xinhua.

One person has been arrested in this regard, he added.

Meantime, Zabihullah Mujahid who claims to speak for Taliban outfit, in talks with media via telephone from undisclosed location claimed responsibility for the attack and said the insurgents punished Aalimi for his support to government.

This is the second local officials in provinces assassinated by Taliban over the past month. Previously the Taliban militants shot dead Abdul Majid Babai, director of Cultural department in Ghazni's neighboring Kandahar province.