Murder mystery: Finance director of AWKUM found dead

Received five bullets in head, chest

MARDAN: The bullet-riddled body of Mohammad Tariq, director for finance at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan was recovered from Sheikh Maltoon Wednesday morning.

Mohammad Tariq disappeared on Tuesday. Around 12:45pm, his mobile phone went dark. Since he was unreachable, his family contacted the police to locate him.

Initial investigation revealed he was shot dead somewhere else and his body was dumped in an open ground in the Sheikh Maltoon residential area early Wednesday morning. The medical team assigned the case said Tariq received five bullets in the head and chest, and was tortured before his death.

A case has been registered and investigation is under way.

District nazim Himayatullah Mayar, along with high-ranking government and police officials, rushed to Mardan Medical Complex whereas students, academics and other employees of the university took to the streets to condemn the murder. They blocked the main Mardan-Nowshehra Road and sloganeered against the government. The university shut down operations for a day. AWKUM Vice Chancellor Dr Ihsan Ali condemned the murder and demanded swift justice. He said the culprits should be arrested soon and be awarded an “exemplary” punishment.

Tariq belonged to Sakhakot area of Malakand but had been residing in Peshawar for long. He started his career in the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Mardan.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th,  2015.