There is no let-up in target attacks in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as another tribal elder was shot dead in North Waziristan tribal district on Monday, police sources said.
Driver of prominent tribal leader Malik Muhammad Rehman Dawar was also killed when gunmen sprayed bullets at their car near Dawood Pump on Miranshah-Bannu Road, they said.
Correspondents in the area believe the attack was a targeted killing, similar to those that occur in Waziristan and other parts of KP province.
The gunmen fled after the attack. No group has claimed responsibility.
The slain leader was heading to Razmak to join a peace Jirga that was called to explore ways for peace in the area, according to local journalists. He survived a previous attack.
Pakistani forces had conducted a major operation in North Waziristan in 2014 that was the last big offensive against local and foreign militants.
A large number of militants had crossed the border into Afghanistan, according to officials.
Several banned groups are active in North Waziristan. An alliance of three armed groups claimed responsibility for a deadly attack in North Waziristan on June 28, martyring 13 soldiers.
Security officials met tribal elders in North Waziristan last week, seeking their help in expelling militants from the district.
President of Awami National Party (ANP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, commenting on the incident, criticised the government and state institutions, both in the country and KP province.
“There is a complete law of the jungle. Pashtuns are treated worse than animals and are being brutally killed in various ways,” the ANP leader said in a Facebook post.
“Where is the United Nations? Where are the human rights organisations? All humanity seems to have died for us. No one is there to question or respond. We are left helpless, only able to condemn,” Hussain added.
NO LET-UP IN VIOLENT INCIDENTS IN KP
Violence continues unabated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as a series of targeted attacks and unrest grip the region.
On Sunday, a roadside bomb exploded near the convoy of Inamullah Khan, a prominent local figure, in Lakki Marwat district. Khan, who heads the Marwat-Bettani Qaumi Tehreek, survived the attack. However, one person was killed and several others injured.
Speaking to the media after the incident, Inamullah Khan claimed he retaliated by killing two to three militants, and urged locals and police to take a stand against militants reportedly hiding near residential areas.
Reports indicate that this was the second attempt on Khan’s life within a week.
Meanwhile, in Bajaur, unidentified gunmen shot dead senior ANP leader Maulana Khanzeb on July 10, while he was campaigning for a peace rally.
On Sunday, thousands gathered for the rally, demanding the arrest of those involved in Khanzeb’s killing.
NW JOURNALISTS CONDEMN SUSPENSION OF INTERNET SERVICE
Journalists in Miranshah have condemned the two-week-long suspension of internet services at the Press Club and surrounding areas, calling it an attempt to stifle press freedom.
Correspondents reported that the blackout has cut off communication with media outlets and the outside world. They said that even during critical times like the 2014 Zarb-e-Azb operation, such a restriction on press activity was never imposed.
In response, the Miranshah Press Club, Union of Journalists, and senior media professionals have announced the launch of an online protest campaign starting July 14.
According to a statement posted on social media:
“After online consultations, it has been decided that there will be a complete boycott of all government events, statements, and activities in North Waziristan.”
Journalists argue that influential individuals and government departments still enjoy internet access, while media professionals are being silenced, calling it a direct attack on press freedom.
