Locals protest target killing of youth

Local residents on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration against the murder of a local Shia youth in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

They demanded of the police and district administration to provide the local Shia community with protection as with the increase in terrorism, once again Shia community was being targeted without inviting attention.

Police told The Express Tribune unidentified terrorists opened fire at a local young man from the Shia community, in Purwa on the outskirts of the city.

As a result Amir Abass, who was sitting in a shop, died on the spot. He was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The attackers managed to escape after committing the crime.

Later the family and relatives of the deceased put the body on the road and blocked it for all kind vehicular traffic for several hours.

They said that the deceased had no enmity with anyone and it was a targeted attack carried out because of his Shia faith.

They demanded the arrest of those involved in the attack and protection to the members of the community.

The deceased was the close relative of Saqlain Abass who had been gunned down by unidentified terrorists in the same area a few days ago.

Later the protesters ended their sit-in when the local SHO assured them that the cases will be properly investigated and those responsible will be brought to justice.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2023.