Family demands Tamgha-e-Shujaat for martyred tehsildar

Bajaur Agency’s political tehsildar laid to rest in Sheikh Killay

MARDAN: There was a pall of gloom on the closely-knit community of Sheikh Killay, a small hamlet near Mardan, as they lowered the remains of Syed Fawad Ali into his grave.

With tearful eyes, people bid farewell to arguably the brightest youngster of the village. Fawad, a political tehsildar of Bajaur Agency, was martyred in a roadside bomb attack in the Mamond area on September 17. He had received information about improvised explosive devices being planted along the roadside in the area and was leading a team to track down these bombs and defuse them. Instead, he fell victim to one.

Hakeem Said, Fawad’s father and a senior lawyer in the Mardan District Court, said they wanted nothing except for the government to recognise the former tehsil officer’s supreme sacrifice.

“We demand that the prime minister and the army chief award Fawad with the Tamgha-e-Shujaat (Medal for Gallantry),” cried Said.

Sheikh Killay a small village, comprising 500 households, is located on Katlang Road around six kilometres from Mardan city. Fawad hailed from an educated family and most of his relatives were appointed at senior posts in different government departments.

A brilliant student, he had secured several gold medals throughout his educational career, securing the top position in Secondary School Certificate Examination from Government High School Naseer Killay in 2002. He also topped Bachelor of Arts from Islamia College Peshawar. He graduated from Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad in International Relations and clinched the gold medal in 2007.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2017.