Matta: Peace committee member shot dead

MINGORA:

A peace committee member was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Matta on Friday.

Yaqoob Khan was walking towards the bazaar when gunmen opened fire at him, injuring him severely. Locals rushed Khan to Civil Hospital, Matta where he succumbed to his injuries.

Police cordoned off the area soon after the incident and launched a search operation. However, no arrests were made till the filing of this report.

Attacks on peace committee members are not uncommon in Swat. On Monday, another peace committee volunteer was abducted by unidentified men and later killed in Ghwareja area Kabal tehsil.

“It is strange that the assailants come in broad daylight, open fire, kill their target and successfully manage to escape. We don’t know where they came from and where they go and reside. It is also strange that such open assaults are being carried out despite the presence of security forces,” said Mohammad Ameen, a social activist. He demanded law enforcement agencies to take action against the perpetrators and protect citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2013.