A rescue worker collects evidence from a damaged bus after it was hit by a bomb attack in the outskirts of Peshawar September 27, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
Following the incident, District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, Charsadda was teeming with medical staff, deceased victims, the injured and those looking for their missing family members.
Wali Muhammad, a man in his 50s spotted a half charred body in the emergency ward and rushed to it with a leap. The shrieks echoed throughout the hospital’s corridors as Wali laid eyes on the lifeless and mutilated body of his son.
Muhammad belongs to Akhun Dheri, an area severely damaged by the floods of 2010. He lost most of his land and his house was also destroyed. Wali’s only hope was his son, Ali Khan, who was also the only educated child of the family. Ali made it through the HSSC and joined Charsadda Technical College to do a civil diploma which he finished in 2011. He would confidently tell his family of nine, “One day I will get a job and all our hardships will be over.”
Before the general elections in May, Ali was campaigning for a politician after he promised to get Ali a job if he won. The politician did end up winning and Ali started visiting his office in Peshawar regularly to get him to keep the promise.
Fighting back tears, Wali said that after going to Peshawar over ten times a month since the elections, at last the politician directed a deputy secretary to find Ali a job in one of the upcoming government projects. On Friday, Ali visited the secretary and was given a job that he was due to start from October 1.
Wali said his son called his brother on the phone and excitedly told him he was coming home with good news. At this point Wali broke down and said, “I didn’t know that he was going on a death ride.”
Ali’s elder brother was also killed six months ago in a road accident on the fifth day of his wedding.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2013.
COMMENTS (8)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Dj: the pm is the pm because he has majority in pak. End of story. He'll say you cant blame him because his brothers at the time were not against pakistan. They were fighting external threats. And you do realize that a number of extremist groups and sharif are brothers right?? They were brought into such power by the same ppl. They have followed different paths but both are disillusioned by their father.
@Sad: appeasement policy of extremists. LOL you aren't very bright are you? Please tell me where is the beloved Prime Minister of yours? Oh yeah that's right he is enjoying himself in New York while Balochistan, the province where he got majority just had a natural calamity.
The experiment of Pakistan has failed. The "dream" of Iqbal has turned into a bad nightmare for the inhabitants of this land. Any state based on religion is bound to fail. Somalia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Our politicians, especially those who want peace talks should go to this man's house and feel the grief of 50,000 people. Your inability to understand ground realities continues to kill more each passing day. You are equally to be blamed along with TTP.
Shame on PTI for actively destroying the country with their appeasement policy of extremists. Shame. Shame. Shame.
My heart goes for Ali Khan and have nothing but a curse for those who still wants to talk to terrorists who are blowing up innocent people. They all needs to be crushed. In that if their families get killed then so be it. This carnage has to stop.
People of Pakistan gave rein of power in hands of PML (N), not PTI, PPP, JI or JUI, etc. It has sole majority and doesn't need a buy in from parties who will fit on a bicycle, tanga, rickshaw, taxi or bus for that matter. PML (N) needs to stand on its two legs and take a lead in crushing these savages. Otherwise its ends going to be worse than PPP and much sooner than theirs. Talk is cheap and it is time for action!
May Allah give courage to the family to bear this loss.