Religious leader affiliated with JUI-F gunned down in South Waziristan

District administration imposes Section 144, enforce a day-long curfew across Wana tehsil due to secuirty situation

DERA ISMAIL KHAN:

A religious leader affiliated with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the Azam Warsak area in Birmal tehsil of Lower South Waziristan on Friday, District Police Officer (DPO) South Waziristan Tahir Shah confirmed on Saturday.

According to the DPO, unidentified attackers on a motorcycle shot Maulana Ismail Sarki Khel dead shortly after Friday prayers and fled the scene.

Police and other law enforcement agencies reached the scene, collected evidence and launched a search operation to trace the attackers. Further investigation into the incident is under way.

According to police officials and local tribal elders, the deceased was a resident of Kazha Panga and was serving as a teacher at a religious seminary/Madrassa in the area.

In light of the prevailing security situation and a spate of killings reported in Lower South Waziristan in recent days, the district administration imposed Section 144 and enforced a day-long curfew across Wana tehsil on Saturday.

According to a notification issued by Deputy Commissioner Musarrat Zaman, the curfew would remain in force from 6am to 7pm across Wana tehsil, including Wana Bazaar, Wana Bypass and adjoining areas.

All movement was prohibited during the curfew, while markets, bazaars and business centres remained closed as part of measures aimed at maintaining law and order and preventing any untoward incidents.

The administration also banned the movement of all passenger and goods vehicles, as well as motorcycles, on the Wana–Tiarza Gate–Karb Kot–Tanai and Azizabad Chowk–Dargai Bridge–Gul Kach–Toi Khula–Tanai routes.

Law enforcement agencies, ambulances, fire brigade vehicles and other emergency services were exempted from the restrictions. Emergency travel was permitted only with prior authorisation from the police or security forces.

The notification stated that authorised travellers must carry their Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) and vehicle documents and comply with security checks.

Read: DSP among 4 cops martyred in terror attack on police checkpost in K-P's Hangu

The district administration warned that anyone violating the curfew or Section 144 would face legal action under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code and urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and cooperate with law enforcement agencies.

On May 5, prominent religious scholar Maulana Muhammad Idrees Tarangzai, widely known as Sheikhul Hadith Maulana Muhammad Idrees, was killed in a targeted attack in Charsadda after four unidentified assailants riding two motorcycles opened fire on his vehicle. Two police constables escorting him were injured in the attack, and the gunmen fled the scene.

It may be noted that several senior religious leaders and scholars affiliated with JUI-F have been targeted in Lower South Waziristan during the past two years through targeted attacks, bomb blasts and improvised explosive device (IED) explosions.

Earlier, JUI-F district Chief Maulana Mirza Jan Wazir, Maulana Sultan Wazir and Mufti Ejaz were martyred in separate attacks by unidentified assailants. Similarly, JUI-F district chief Maulana Abdullah sustained serious injuries in an IED explosion planted in the prayer niche of a mosque in Azam Warsak and has been under treatment in Multan for the past year.

In another incident, an IED blast at the gate of Maulana Shehzada’s seminary/Madrassa in Azam Warsak Bazaar resulted in severe injuries, causing the loss of both his legs, while several others were also wounded.

An IED planted near the guest room wall of Maulana Sakhi’s mosque in Azam Warsak Bazaar also exploded in the past, leaving him slightly injured.