Amputated: 10-year-old Mina loses leg after IED blast

Was grazing livestock in Barwand, SWA village when blast took place

DI KHAN: Naz Mina, a 10-year-old girl, lost her right leg in an improvised explosive device blast in New Raghzai village of Barwand a few days ago. The area is located in the mountainous region of Sarwakai, South Waziristan Agency.

Naz said she was grazing cattle with three other girls from her village. When Naz reached an empty check post in the area, the IED went off, injuring her critically. She is now admitted in a private clinic in DI Khan. Naz’s father Azaat Khan said, “Naz’s friend, who was grazing cattle with her, ran to our house to tell us that Naz was injured.” The family then rushed to the site and found Naz covered in blood and weeping, Azaat recalled.

Poor health facilities

“At first, we took her to a nearby private clinic in Mulla Khan Sarai, but with a lack of doctors and medicines, they were not much help.” Azaat added, “We brought her to DI Khan then.”

Azaat added doctors made every effort to save Naz’s leg but could not succeed.

“We are poor, and cannot afford expensive treatment for our daughter,” he said, adding the family has not received any help as yet.

Naz’s family resettled in the village four months ago during the repatriation of IDPs in the area. Her family, along with people of the Mehsud tribe, had settled in Karachi after being displaced in Operation Rah-e-Nijat against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in SWA in 2009.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2016.