Waziristan in shock over quadruple murder

The four friends were the district’s unsung heroes who had worked to promote peace

MIRANSHAH:

On June 19, four active members of Youth of Waziristan, a local welfare organization, were gunned down in Mir Ali, North Waziristan tribal district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). They were coming back from a dinner arranged by a common friend to celebrate his recent engagement.

The cold-blooded murder of four youngsters naturally stirred an outpouring of grief and anger. The tragedy sparked a feverish social media debate after which Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan condemned the attack and promised that those responsible would be arrested soon.

Interestingly one group of local militants Ittehad Mujahideenul Ansar claimed responsibility for the sickening assault on social media and said that some people were involved in promoting ‘secularism’ in the area which is not acceptable.

The group claimed that two people were their target but two others were killed because they were all travelling in one car. TTP on the other hand denied its hand in the attack.

District Police Officer (DPO) Farhan Khan told The Express Tribune that these four youngsters wanted lasting peace in the district. He said that investigation was underway.

Local residents, however, don’t believe that local police has the capacity to investigate the target killing incidents and reach the real culprits behind it.

Youth of Waziristan is an apolitical organization with a single point agenda – to promote peace in the region.

“These four were close friends and they were quick to reach the victims of any tragedy in Waziristan. They had their own separate political ideologies but under the banner of this organization all of them were united in this cause,” said a local social activist Irfan, adding that all of them were from four different villages and different backgrounds but still had perfect understanding.

“This was not acceptable to some elements so they were targeted and killed,” he said.

Their close friend Arif Khan said that all of these slain friends were highly educated and they naturally wanted a peaceful Waziristan where the lives and properties of everyone were protected.

“Sunid Ahmad Dawar was a resident of well-known Epi village. He left behind two daughters and a widow. He was a student of BS Physics at Lahore University and was very active socially. He always struggled for the rights of Pashtun and Baloch and especially tribal students,” he observed, adding that he was an active and ardent member of Youth of Waziristan and National Republican Movement.

“Amad Khan Dawar was a resident of Harmaz village and he got married just two months ago. He was 22. His mother is still unconscious. He worked at Rescue 1122 after getting a diploma in technical medicine,” he said. “For his mother it is difficult to believe that his son is no more. Just two months ago her house was buzzing with excitement and life as they were celebrating his marriage and all of a sudden her son is gone,” he added.

Waqar Khan was a resident of Harmaz and he left behind a widow and a child. He was the organisation’s general secretary and a schoolteacher by profession. He held a master’s degree. Waqar was an active member of Awami National Party (ANP) too.

Deceased Asadullah Dawar, 27, was a resident of Baro Khel. He left behind three girls and one widow.

“He was politically active from an early age and an engineer by profession. He contested the general elections. During his student life he was the amir of the Jamat-e-Islami’s student wing in Abbotabad and Bannu. He was also a founding member of the Youth of Waziristan. Just a few months ago he got a job in K-P Health Department for which he was more than happy,” said Javed Khan, a JI leader in Waziristan.

 

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2022.