Guilty rage?: Four killed, two injured as jirga turns awry

Motive of attack said to be theft of wheat bags three days earlier.

TIMERGARA:

Four members of a family were gunned down and two others injured by their cousin following a verbal dispute during a jirga in Balambat, Lower Dir on Saturday.

Balambat police official Imran Khan said the incident occurred at around 9am in Pendi Kas village. After a heated argument with his uncle’s sons at a jirga at their house, Asghar picked up an AK-47 and allegedly opened fire, killing two brothers, Habibur Rahman and Mujeebur Rahman, and injuring the third, Attaur Rahman. The victims’ brother-in-law Sardar Khan along with Pak Bibi and Zakait Bibi were also injured.

The official said Attaur Rahman succumbed to his injuries at Headquarters Hospital Timergara, while Pak Bibi died while she was being taken to Peshawar. He added the accused managed to escape after the incident.



Another police official, while explaining the nature of the dispute, revealed unidentified thieves stole 16 sacks of wheat from the warehouse of Muhammad Khan, the father of the deceased, three days ago. Muhammad and his sons, Mujeeb and Habib, then consulted a private investigation company, who brought sniffer dogs to the scene. The official said the dogs went straight to their relative Asghar’s door and began chasing after him, after which the family members and villagers started accusing Asghar of stealing the sacks.

The official added the next morning a jirga was convened at Muhammad Khan’s house, in which Asghar was called forward to accept his crime. When Habib and Mujeeb levelled the allegation at Asghar, the latter got infuriated, prompting the attack. Police have registered a case and further investigation is underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2013.