KOHAT: Women blocked the Kohat-Parachinar highway in the Muhammadzai area here on Monday to protest killing of a man at the hands of police.

They chanted slogans against the police and demanded registration of FIR against policemen involved in the killing of Barkat Ali. The road remained blocked for more than an hour causing inconvenience to commuters.

SHO cantonment Mohammad Afzal Awan said Barkat Ali and his five accomplices had lynched their rival, namely Tariq, with hammers and iron rods. He said the victim died in hospital, adding an FIR was registered against six suspects, including Barkat Ali.

On Monday, he said the police raided the hideout of Barkat, but he opened fire. He said the police returned the fire, killing him.

SHO Awan claimed Barkat Ali’s family was hardened criminals and dealt in ice drug. Earlier, his brother, Nadeem, also wanted in a murder case and drug trafficking, had been killed in a clash with police, he added.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2022