MIRAMSHAH: The incidents of targeted killing and bomb blast overshadowed Eidul Fiter’s festivities in North Waziristan as four people including a senior government officer were killed by unidentified attackers during the last two days in the tribal district.

The killed officer, Zubaidullah, had come to his village from Islamabad to celebrate Eid with family. Two masked motorcyclists attacked him in Hasokhel village when he was walking along with his uncle Farmanullah and another relative Nimatullah.

According to the FIR registered at Mirali police station, two masked motorcyclists opened fire on Zubaidullah and his companions near a bus stand. Zubaidullah and his uncle succumbed to their injuries on the spot while Nimatullah died at teshsil headquarters hospital.

Police registered a case against unidentified persons.

In another incident, masked men killed Hazratullah in Moberak Shahi village. The assailants managed to flee after the incident.

Officer shot dead in Mirali; former Taliban commander injured in Wana

An explosive device planted along the road went off near security forces’ vehicle in Mirali on Monday night. No casualty was reported in the blast. The vehicle was going to base camp in Mirali town.

Violence particularly incidents of targeted killing registered sharp spike in North Waziristan during the last five months. Officials said that 31 incidents of target killing, gun and bomb attacks on security forces had been registered in North Waziristan since January 2020.

The local youth held a jirga in Mirali on Monday against the incidents of targeted killing and lawlessness in the area. The leaders of various political parties, social activists, traders, elders and youth attended the jirga.

The participants of the jirga said that law and order was deteriorating in the district despite conducting operation Zarb-i-Azb. They said that government failed to maintain peace in the area.

They said that incidents of targeted killing were on the rise in North Waziristan despite the fact that locals rendered sacrifices for the purpose. The jirga demanded of the government to take concrete measures to stop incidents of targeted killing in the area.

Dilawar Wazir adds from Wana: A former commander of Taliban Tehsil Khan, who renounced militancy, was seriously wounded while his brother Shah Karam Khan was killed in an attack here on Tuesday.

DPO Shaukat Khan said that Tehsil Khan and his brother Karam Khan were on way to Wana from Azam Warsak when unidentified persons attacked them. Tehsil suffered bullet injuries while his brother was killed in the attack.

Officials said that Tehsil Khan had affiliation with Mullah Nazir. He was an active member of the so-called peace committee, which was tasked to maintain law and order in Wana and its adjacent areas.

After renouncing militancy, Tehsil Khan shifted to Lahore and started fresh and dry fruits business.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2020