Enraged: Residents of Lower Dir protest killing of constables

Urge judiciary to take suo motu notice of deaths.

TIMERGARA: Residents of Lower Dir took to the streets on Friday against the killing of two police constables during an elite force training session held earlier this week.

A large number of protesters blocked the road connecting Lower Dir and Peshawar. The demonstration was led by Qaumi Islahi Jirga and was attended by residents of four union councils of Timergara tehsil of Lower Dir. “The trainer at the elite force centre treated the constables in an inhumane manner and is responsible for their death,” QIJ Talash President Muhammad Ibrahim Khan told protesters. “The chief justice of Pakistan should take suo motu notice of the case and the provincial government should also look into the matter.”

The demonstrators threatened to launch a large-scale protest next week if the culprits are not taken to task. The acting Lower Dir DPO Tahir Khan, and several other police officials and personnel were present on the occasion to avert any untoward incident during the demonstration. The protesters subsequently dispersed and opened the road for traffic.

Murky details

Earlier on Wednesday, Hidayatullah and Muhammad Siraj – who hailed from Lower Dir and Upper Dir, respectively – came to Nowshera for an elite force training session. However, both constables fainted during the training in the scorching heat and were rushed to District Headquarters Hospital Nowshera. Siraj breathed his last at the hospital while Hidayatullah was shifted to Mardan Medical Complex and subsequently died. Their bodies were handed over to their families.

A day earlier, the family of one of the constables took to the streets in Upper Dir against the incident. According to family members, the constables were tortured to death during the elite force training in Nowshera.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2015.