SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: A local JUI-F leader was killed and five others were injured in an explosion in Azam Warsak market of Lower South Waziristan district on Sunday.

According to police officials, a remote-controlled bomb exploded at 5pm when prayer leader Maulana Shahzada Wazir was leaving his mosque after prayers.

He survived the attack and was moved to a hospital in injured condition. Other injured were identified as Saddam, Shah Hussain, Noor Hussain and Zainullah. The deceased JUI-F leader was identified as Mufti Ejazul Haq.

The injured were treated at the District Headquarters Hospital, Wana, where an emergency was declared.

Two of the injured were shifted to Dera Ismail Khan in critical condition for further treatment.

Azam Warsak Police SHO Usman Wazir said unknown persons had planted the explosive device near the mosque, adding that Maulana Wazir was the target.

The local Wazir tribesmen have strongly condemned the attack and expressed deep regret and concern.

This is the second attack in as many days targeting a political leader.

On Thursday, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) local chapter gen­eral secretary Mohammad Hamid Sufi was killed when unknown gunmen opened fire in Bajaur’s Khar tehsil.

The victim was going home after evening prayers when unknown assailants on a motorcycle ambushed him.

The 50-year-old man was critically wounded after receiving multiple bullets and was rushed to the district headquarters hospital Khar by local residents, where he died.

The law and order situation in the three merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including South Waziristan Lower, South Waziristan Upper, and North Waziristan, has been deteriorating over the past year.

This has left the local Wazir, Mehsud, Dawar, Dottani, and Suleman Khel tribes in a state of fear. The tribes demanded that the federal and provincial governments take immediate steps to establish peace in Lower South Waziristan.

Soldier martyred

A soldier was martyred in a gunfight with alleged militants in the restive Tirah valley on Sunday, local sources told Dawn.

At least six militants were also killed in fierce clashes with security forces. The military’s media wing, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) has yet to confirm the incident.

According to sources, the clashes with militants, mostly affiliated with the banned Lashkar-i-Islam, took place near the Bagh Markaz, the main trading centre of the valley in Malakdin Khel area.

Locals said that clashes erupted at around 2pm when militants allegedly launched an attack on the army camp.

The security forces retaliated against the attack, which resulted in an intense gunfight. The attack confined people to their homes while shops in the Bagh Markaz market closed.

Local sources said scores of militants were also injured in the cross-firing.

It was also learnt that militants launched another attack after a brief lull in the evening.

Security forces pounded the alleged militant’s locations with artillery, sources said. Some residents claimed that forces also used gunship helicopters to attack militants in the nearby hilly areas.

As per sources, one of the mortar also hit the bazaar and caused a huge fire which gutted at least seven shops.

Some artillery shells also fell on houses, according to locals.

One person, identified as Fazle Rabbi, was injured and moved to Peshawar after initial treatment at Mishti Hospital in Orakzai district.

He was the president of a local farmers’ organisation.

The Tirah Siyasi Ittehad and local traders have given a call for protests today (Monday) over the law and order situation in the valley.

Ibrahim Shinwari in Khyber also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2024