Afghan President backs sit-in demanding arrest of Naqeebullah’s killer

KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has also supported the ongoing sit-in staged by the Mehsud tribesmen against the extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah in a fake encounter by former SSP Malir Rao Anwar.

In a series of tweets Friday, the Afghan president called upon the people of this region to voice against the terrorism. ‘The main purpose of #PashtunLongMarch is to mobilize citizens against fundamentalism and terrorism in the region,’ he tweeted.

A large number of civil society members, tribesmen have gathered in the Federal Capital to protest against the injustices and authorities’ failure to nab the police officer involved in the murder.

A delegation of Mehsud and Wazir tribes met Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday and demanded immediate arrest of and taking to justice to those responsible for the extra-judicial killing of Naqeebullah, a native of South Waziristan. The PM assured them that all resources would be utilized to arrest Rao Anwar and fulfill the requirements of justice.

The issue has now attracted global media attention. Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousufzai has also backed the sit-in seeking help of army chief to arrest the police officer.

President Ashraf Ghani stated that “The historical importance of this march traces back to the great proponent of non-violence, Bacha Khan, whose philosophy was based on the non-violent ideology.”

Just like the Lawyers' Community in Pakistan succeeded in their movement, I hope #PashtunLongMarch would also succeed in uprooting and eradicating terrorism from their region, he further added.