Four peace committee members, including father and son, killed in Bannu attack

Gunmen opened fire on vehicle in Landik area as police recall earlier deadly attack on peace committee

Four members of a local Aman (peace) Committee, including a father and his son, were killed on Tuesday when unknown armed men opened fire on their vehicle in the Gulbuddin Landik area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, police said.

Police said the attackers targeted the committee members while they were travelling. The gunfire shattered the vehicle’s windows and killed all four occupants on the spot.

A large contingent of police rushed to the area after receiving information, secured the scene, collected evidence and launched an investigation. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Hospital sources identified the deceased as Naseeb, Hamid, Ziaullah and Fauji. Police said the father and son were also president and members of a sub-organisation of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Read: Terrorists storm peace committee office in Bannu, seven killed

Haved Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the area, is located about 10 kilometres from Bannu city. The area has a civilian population and has witnessed several security incidents in the past.

The latest attack comes weeks after a deadly assault on a peace committee office in the district. On November 21, seven people were killed and one injured when armed men affiliated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked a peace committee office in the Haved Daradariz area of Bannu.

Militants stormed the residence and office of peace committee commander Qari Jalil late at night. Those killed were identified as Usama, Faizan, Kamran, Niaz, Wali and Imdad, while one injured later died in hospital. Jalil was not present at the time of the attack and remained unharmed.