LAKKI MARWAT: Members of the Bannu Qaumi Jirga and office-bearers of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and district bar association met here on Thursday and discussed the prevailing law and order situation, proposed military operation against terrorists, and road closures for security reasons.

The participants also took up the inclusion of the traders’ names in the Fourth Schedule and a lack of night patrols by police in the district.

They complained that the provincial government had failed to implement the 16-point demands approved by the apex committee in letter and spirit.

The legal fraternity announced full support for the Qaumi Jirga’s efforts for peace in the area.

Later, bar association president Shah Qiaz Bacha told journalists that the elders and lawyers were on the same page for restoration of peace in the district.

He said that there was no need for launching a large-scale military operation as it would cause mass evacuation and displacement of local residents.

Mr Bacha asked the provincial government to meet 16-point demands of the jirga saying this will pave the way to eliminate terrorism and restore peace in the region.

He condemned the closure of roads and said that the move had added to the troubles of residents and travellers.

The bar president said that the road blockades for security reasons were causing inconvenience to people, so the provincial government should direct the local administration to open all such arteries.

He said that the lawyer community would stand by the people of Bannu district and would raise voice for their rights at all platforms.

KILLED: Gunmen killed a man and his son on the Begukhel Road in the jurisdiction of Lakki city police station on Thursday.

Police said Saifur Rehman, 59, and his son, Naveedullah, 19, were ambushed near the Kabir Khan Farm when they were going to their village, Nawerkhel, from Lakki city on a motorcycle.

They said both Rehman and Naveedullah received critical injuries and died on the spot, while the assailants took their motorcycle away.

Ziauddin, a relative of the deceased, told police that after learning about the killings, he, along with other relatives, went to the Begukhel Road and found the bodies in a pool of blood.

He said that the family had no enmity.

The police said that the bodies were shifted to the Government City Hospital for postmortem, while a case was registered against suspects.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2024