Robbers kill youth in Nowshera

NOWSHERA: Armed robbers shot dead a youth upon resistance in a bid to snatch a motorcycle from him at gunpoint outside the Nowshera Press Club.

Osama Imtiaz, a resident of Rahman Baba Mohallah, told police that he and his 19-year-old brother Ihtisham Khan had gone to buy milk in Nowshera Kalaan and were returning to Nowshera Cantt when they noticed three armed robbers following them on a motorcycle.

He said that as they reached the area near Nowshera Press Club, the robbers blocked their way and attempted to snatch their motorcycle. He said when they resisted, one of the robbers pulled out a pistol and opened fire on Ihtisham, killing him on the spot.

The complainant said that after committing the crime, the robbers fled with their new Honda 125 motorcycle.Later, the body was shifted to the Qazi Hussain Medical Complex.

Soon after the incident, scores of residents rushed to the Qazi Hussain Medical Complex and staged a protest against the murder of a youth. They chanted slogans against lawlessness, rising theft, and robbery incidents. The protesters set a 72-hour deadline to arrest the culprits or else they would launch a strong protest drive.

They said that Imtiaz Khan’s house had already been robbed twice, but despite handing over suspects to the police, no recovery was made. Now, his son had been murdered in broad daylight.Later, the funeral prayer for the slain Ihtisham was offered on Grand Trunk (GT) Road, Shobra Chowk, as a mark of protest. Thousands of people, including political and religious leaders such as Chairman of the Provincial Peace Jirga Syed Kamal Shah Bacha, District Chairman Pir Zulfiqar Bacha, and leaders of various religious and political parties.

The leaders set a three-day ultimatum to the police to arrest the culprits. They warned that if the perpetrators were not held within the given time, they would stage a sit-in at Shobra Chowk.

They demanded Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IGP Zulfiqar Hameed, Regional Police Officer of Mardan Najeebur Rahman and District Police Officer Nowshera Abdur Rashid to take immediate action to main law and in Nowshera.