BAJAUR: Workers of various political parties, elders, traders and students here on Tuesday ended their protest sit-in outside the Civil Colony, Khar, after the authorities assured the protest organisers through a jirga that the killers of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s local activist Mohammad Ilyas would be arrested within 10 days.

The jirga included provincial minister Anwar Zeb Khan, former governor Shaukatullah Khan and several tribal elders. Later, the protesters dispersed and the victim’s body was taken to his native Badan village for burial.

Earlier, the sit-in continued for the second consecutive day on Tuesday here. The protesters along with the victim’s body spent the night at the venue of the sit-in, blocking the Khar-Inayat Kallay road along the Civil Colony. They key road is also used by officials of the district administration, police and other government departments.

The protest sit-in had started an hour after the murder of the JUI-F activist by unidentified armed men outside the Government High School Khar No 1 on Monday.

Provincial minister Anwar Zeb, PTI MNA Gul Zafar and Senator Hidayatullah Khan and Shaukatullah Khan also addressed the protesters and assured them of full support to address their concerns.

PML-N leader Shahabuddin Khan, JI leader Sahibzada Haroon Rasheed, JUI-F district head Maulana Abdur Rasheed, ANP district head Gul Afzal Khan, JI’s Qari Abdul Majeed, religious scholar Maulana Khan Zeb, Bajaur Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Haji Lali Shah and other political and social activists also spoke on the occasion and strongly condemned the incident.

They claimed that according to the victim’s family, he had been receiving threats from unknown people since the killing of his elder brother Mufti Mohammad Sultan in October 29, 2019, and that he had also requested the police for proving him security.

Most of the markets and trade centres in Khar, Inayat Kallay, Nawagai and other areas remained closed in protest against the killing of the JUI-F activist.

The funeral prayer was also held at the sit-in place, which was attended by the protesters.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2021