Waziristan man who 'exposed PTM's propaganda' shot dead

Matorkay had given statement security forces personnel had not harassed the family members of Shariatullah

PESHAWAR: Malik Matorkay, a maternal uncle of suspected terrorist Shariatullah, was shot dead at Khaisor village in Mirali tehsil of North Waziristan on Sunday, days after he spoke in favour of security forces.

Matorkay had given the statement that security forces personnel had not harassed the family members of Shariatullah as was being portrayed by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) as he was present at the time of the raid.

Sources said that he had signed an affidavit as a guarantor that no wrongdoings were committed. PTM had targeted him on social media.

Background

Matorkay was the uncle of Hayat Khan – the 13-year-old boy who was persuaded by PTM activist Noorul Islam Dawar to give a video message against security forces for adopting unfair means in their search for his elder brother Shariatullah.

In an interview with Voice of America, Jalat Khan, father of Shariatullah, confirmed that his son was a terrorist.



Shariatullah is said to have abducted and burnt four MPCL employees and a Frontier Corps soldier on October 23, 2018.

Another employee, Zahid Mehmood, was taken hostage and kept by Shariatullah at his house in Khaisor with the help of his father Jalat and brother Irfan.

When security forces went to rescue Mehmood, Shariatullah managed to escape into the mountains with the abductee.

Hayat was persuaded to give a video statement against the security forces.

However, Matorkay denied any such incident, saying he was with security forces when they searched the house of his sister. Hayat’s mother and Matorkay’s sister inked an affidavit stating no such thing happened.