Targeted: Yet another defence committee member killed

Lashkar volunteers in Tank escape attempt on life

DI KHAN/ MATTA:

Yet another village defence committee member was gunned down in Matta, Swat on Saturday. Since September, four such members have been killed in the district.

Ashraf Khan, a local Awami National Party (ANP) leader, was going to Matta Bazaar from his village in Koza Bama Khela when he was targeted. Unidentified people, who were waiting for him, opened indiscriminate fire, killing him on the spot, said Matta SHO Amjad Khan.

A policeman identified as Nadir Khan, who was Ashraf’s security escort, also sustained gunshot wounds and later died at Saidu Teaching Hospital.

Following the shooting, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation after imposing a curfew.

Matta Bazaar, the main financial hub in the tehsil, was also closed to the public by law-enforcement agencies.

Condemnation

ANP Swat President Sher Shah Khan condemned the attack terming it “a slap on the face of law-enforcement agencies in the area.”

He said his party would not be discouraged by such acts of the militants and ANP workers would continue to fight militancy.

Qaumi Lashkar chief and Kabal Aman Jirga President Idrees Khan demanded the immediate arrest of the target killers.

He said as long as Mullah Fazlullah is alive, these target killings will continue in Swat and innocent people will be targeted. “The security forces must take action against him,” he added.

Village defence committees are made up of pro-government locals who work to defend their villages against militants. A recent surge in targeted attacks has heightened concerns among residents and village defence committee members. Since 2009, 21 committee members and 276 police officers have been killed in such attacks in Swat.

On September 16, three members of village defence committees were shot dead by unidentified assailants in Kabal tehsil.

Aman committee members escape

Members of the Tank Aman Committee were targeted by unidentified militants on Saturday in Kot Azam area of the district.

According to an official of the Gomal police station, aman committee member Sherpao Mehsud was returning from Tank city along with some other members when a remote-controlled explosive device went off close to their vehicle in Kot Azam.

The police official added the committee members escaped unhurt while their vehicle was damaged.

A case has been registered at Gomal police station against unidentified militants, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2014.