SHANGLA: The residents of Chakesar staged a demonstration to protest killing of a baker, belonging to the area, and injuring his brother by robbers in Mandi Bahauddin in Punjab province.

The protesters demanded justice for the bereaved family. Led by Chakesar tehsil chairman Bakht Alam Khan, the protesters blocked Karakoram Highway by placing the body of the slain baker on Dandai Bridge on Sunday night.

Addressing at the protesters, Bakht Alam said that they could not tolerate such brutal attacks on the labourer of Shangla. He said that the victims had been working as Nanbai in Phalia city. He said that robbers attacked them, killing Shaukat Ali and injuring his brother Sabz Ali.

“We wonder as to why Punjab police have failed to protect the lives of people particularly non-locals, who work there to feed their families back in Shangla,” he said.

Khadang village council chairman Anwar Saeed alleged on the occasion that Punjab police humiliated Pakhtuns. He demanded of the Punjab government to arrest the murderers and pay compensation to the bereaved family.

He said that Punjab government should take concrete steps for providing protection to the Pakhtun labourers working in the province.

Sher Ali Khan, former district councillor, said that labourers belonging to Shangla, who worked in other provinces, were being killed by unidentified assailants. He said that it was failure of the government. He alleged that human rights organisations were taking notice of such incidents.

He said that they would continue their protest till the arrest of the culprits and payment of compensation amount to the bereaved family. He threatened to hold protests outside Punjab Assembly in Lahore and office of district police officer in Mandi Bahauddin.

The protesters dispersed after holding the demonstration and took the body of the deceased to his native town Khadang. The deceased was laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2022