Fourth attempt: JUI-F leader’s house attacked again
Afridi says assailants want Rs5 million ‘donation’.
Afridi says assailants want Rs5 million ‘donation’. PHOTO: FILE
JAMRUD:
The house of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Khyber Agency chief Saida Jan Afridi was attacked again on Thursday when unidentified assailants opened fire, allegedly over Afridi’s refusal to pay extortion money.
Afridi’s residence in Sur Qamar area of Jamrud has been attacked thrice before, the last one being only two weeks ago on November 29.
Asmatullah Wazir, an official of the Jamrud political administration, confirmed the incident and said attackers first fired two rockets at Afridi’s hujra and then hurled a hand grenade which landed inside the house and damaged a portion of the boundary wall and the main structure. He added guards at the hujra retaliated with gunfire and forced the attackers to flee.
Afridi, who has shifted to another location with family members owing to the repeated attacks, said the political administration was turning a deaf ear to his requests for additional security and tracing of the culprits.
“The attackers are asking me to give them a donation of Rs5 million. How can I do that when I myself am asking people for donations for my political campaigns,” he said.
Afridi said he is a politician and cannot continue to work living away from his constituency. “The government must provide me security and nab the attackers who are openly taking the law into their own hands,” he said.
On November 29, Afridi’s hujra and a nearby mosque were damaged when assailants opened fire and fled.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2013.
The house of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Khyber Agency chief Saida Jan Afridi was attacked again on Thursday when unidentified assailants opened fire, allegedly over Afridi’s refusal to pay extortion money.
Afridi’s residence in Sur Qamar area of Jamrud has been attacked thrice before, the last one being only two weeks ago on November 29.
Asmatullah Wazir, an official of the Jamrud political administration, confirmed the incident and said attackers first fired two rockets at Afridi’s hujra and then hurled a hand grenade which landed inside the house and damaged a portion of the boundary wall and the main structure. He added guards at the hujra retaliated with gunfire and forced the attackers to flee.
Afridi, who has shifted to another location with family members owing to the repeated attacks, said the political administration was turning a deaf ear to his requests for additional security and tracing of the culprits.
“The attackers are asking me to give them a donation of Rs5 million. How can I do that when I myself am asking people for donations for my political campaigns,” he said.
Afridi said he is a politician and cannot continue to work living away from his constituency. “The government must provide me security and nab the attackers who are openly taking the law into their own hands,” he said.
On November 29, Afridi’s hujra and a nearby mosque were damaged when assailants opened fire and fled.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2013.