CHARSADDA: Members of the Charsadda tehsil council condemned the police’s firing on a colleague’s son and warned that if action wasn’t taken against the culpable personnel, they would take to the streets.

The warning was issued during a meeting chaired by acting convener Khadim Hussain and attended by council chairman Mufti Abdul Rauf Shakir, TMOs and other officials.

Councillors Sohail Khan, Babar, Imtiaz Gul, Waheed Bacha and others alleged that the police personnel fired gunshots at the young son of their colleague, Fazal Khaliq, seriously injuring him.

They said the young man’s condition was critical in the hospital but the police department, instead of taking action against the Ababeel Squad personnel, had filed a report against the injured.

Threaten protest if action not taken against personnel

The council members warned that if justice was not dispensed in the case, they would protest at the Farooq Azam Chowk.

They also said the administration’s “poor performance and irresponsibility” in distribution of the Ramadan Package led to the return of Rs15 million to the government, which was injustice with the poor and deserving people.

They said the funds should be distributed through village chairmen to deserving people who didn’t get cash handouts from the government.

The council chairman said the issue of rent of municipal shops and markets was resolved, and all union councils, especially MCs, would start a cleanliness campaign in all areas.

ACTION DEMANDED: Residents of Haleemzai area in Shabqadar here organised the Qaumi Jirga against troublemakers, drug traffickers and other criminals.

They also demanded the arrest of killers of Ikramullah.

The elders expressed concern over the continuous increase in drug trafficking and crime incidences in Shabqadar tehsil and formed a committee to address the issue.

They also emphasised the need for offering full cooperation to police in fighting crimes.

Elders Malik Rabat Khan, Malik Zaitullah Khan, Malik Karamatullah, Malik Qadir Khan, Maulvi Noor Rehman, Maulana Zohaib, former nazim Malik Shahid Khan, PML-N president Rehmat Ali Mohmand, MC-I chairman Khan Zeb Khan Mohmand and PPP leader Haji Jan Syed complained that a mentally deranged resident, Ikramullah, was killed in Mechni but the gunmen were still at large.

They warned if the culprits weren’t arrested, the Haleemzai tribe would act against them on their own.

The participants also voiced concern over the increasing crime rate in Shabqadar and complained that drugs were sold in some areas openly threatening the health and lives of residents, especially youth.

Meanwhile, a rally was staged in Tangi tehsil here to advocate for the boycott of Israeli products.

The rally began from outside the Jamia Hidayatul Islam and finished at the main square of Halimzai Bazaar after passing through various markets. Local elders and political and social leaders attended it in large numbers.

Also, people marched through the Tangi Bazaar, Tangi Morr and Khatm-i-Nabuwwat Chowk to express solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2025