Child killed in Lakki Marwat shooting

Three men open fire at uncle; four-year-old nephew killed; tribal elders block roads in protest

A four-year-old child was killed in Lakki Marwat after three men reportedly opened fire at him and his uncle while he was in a playground on Friday.

A 32-year-old man, Mayad Gul, has reported to Bargai police station in Lakki Marwat that three individuals — Mir Abbas Khanzada and Ali Abbas among them — opened fire at him with the intention to kill while he was at a playground.

As a result of the firing, his four-year-old nephew, Asad Abbas, who was playing nearby, was hit by a bullet and died on the spot. Police have said a case has been registered against the three suspects. They added that the two sides had been locked in a long-standing enmity.

Tribal elders and residents placed the child’s body on the road and began a protest, demanding the arrest of those responsible in Bannu.

MadaKhel tribal elder Malik Rehmatullah Wazir has said the protest and road blockade would continue until the suspects were arrested. Elders called for justice, describing the killing as “open terrorism”.

Read: Three killed, several injured in two separate firing incidents in Bannu

“Do not speak against your elders. Today, these elders are sitting on the streets in freezing cold for your sake. The child we have brought has committed no wrongdoing."

They appealed to the government, including the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister, and the Pakistan Army, urging them to intervene. “This is the request of all Pashtuns: this child has done nothing wrong,” they said.

Addressing the Baloch and Marwat communities, they added that they were being wronged. “The business is my own, the land is my own, and we have wronged no one. These are our personal properties,” they said.

They called on the public and community elders to show solidarity, emphasising that their presence was not for spectacle. “This is a day of grief, not celebration,” they said.

The appeal extended to residents of Domel Tehsil, Bannu, and local market communities, with a plea for support. “We are not guilty,” they stressed.

Read more: Four police officers killed in two attacks in Bannu

Two days ago, two separate shooting incidents in Bannu left at least three people dead and several others injured.

In the first incident, three people were killed and six others injured in the Mitha Khel area under Mandan police jurisdiction, reportedly after a clash between two groups. The victims were initially taken to District Headquarters Hospital, Bannu, with three of the injured later transferred to Peshawar due to the seriousness of their injuries.

Among the deceased is Hassan, a student at Peshawar University who had recently returned home for a short holiday. The other victims have been identified as Ajab Khan and Roshan.

In a separate incident at Mandan Gate, a police officer and his three-year-old son were injured when unidentified motorcyclists opened fire on their vehicle. Head Constable Hashim Ali Khan and his young son were transferred to the hospital for treatment.