PM condemns killing of 5 people by terrorists in Tirah Valley

ISLAMABAD/BARA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday expressed grief over the martyrdom of five innocent people and injuries to 16 others in firing by the Khwarij in Bagh Maidan area of Tirah Valley.

The premier condemned the incident and directed the provision of immediate medical assistance to the injured.

Shehbaz said the nefarious designs of terrorists could not shake the nation’s resolve, the PM Media Wing said in a statement.

Our correspondent in Bara reports: Sources claimed that terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khwarij opened fire on the protesters from the nearby hills. However, another source alleged that the security forces opened fire when the angry protesters headed to the security facility in the area.

It is learnt the Zakhakhel tribe people and the relatives of a girl, who was allegedly killed in a mortar shelling a day earlier, staged a protest near a government installation when they came under attack. Local people said five persons died on the spot and 16 others sustained injuries.

The deceased were identified as Shakoor Khan, Ziaur Rehman, Hanat Shah, Akmal Khan and Saeed Afridi. The injured included Sher Zaman, Akmal Khan, Khan Zeb, Abdul Haleem, Ayub Khan, Siraj Khan, Qasim Khan, Saeed Khan, Zartaj Khan, Baitullah, Aamir Hussain, Rehmanullah, Muhammad Javed, Muhammad Sadiq, Nazar Muhammad and Abubakr.

The local people said the injured were shifted to Hayatabad Medical Complex and other hospitals in Peshawar.

Meanwhile, the Bara Political Alliance, Member National Assembly Iqbal Afridi, Member Provincial Assembly Abdul Ghani Afridi, and other political and tribal leaders condemned the incident. They demanded an immediate and transparent investigation into the firing, action against the perpetrators, compensation to the families of martyrs, and release of all arrested protesters. The elders and people vowed to continue the protest until all demands were met. They urged the higher authorities to intervene for justice and restoration of peace.

Later, a successful jirga was held between Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl local leaders Shamsuddin Afridi, Maulana Hazrat Khan and Malik Akbar with the commandant of the security forces Brigadier Muhammad Qasim. The jirga members condemned the incident.

The commandant assured that an inquiry would be conducted into the incident. He assured that those involved would be dealt with under the Army Act and would face court martial. He said one official had already been dismissed from service.

The commandant promised that there would be no drone strikes or mortar shelling on civilians or their homes.

He assured that all blocked routes would be reopened and after the Tirah entry checkpoint, no civilians would be stopped at any other security post.

The security forces will provide a compensation amount of Rs1.5 million for each victim. The injured will receive free medical treatment at the FC Hospital in Shakas and will be given Rs250,000 each as compensation. It was assured that there would be no displacement from the Tirah valley.

Protection of life and property of citizens and maintenance of peace and order are constitutional responsibilities of the state, said the commandant.

In a statement issued here, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said a jirga comprising tribal elders and public representatives had been summoned to Peshawar to listen to the concerns and sentiments of the local people. He said the district administration and relevant institutions had been directed to strengthen public engagement and maintain order.

The chief minister announced compensation of Rs10 million each for the families of the deceased and Rs2.5 million for each of the injured.

He reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to sustainable peace, public safety, and promotion of mutual respect.

Gandapur added that these matters were discussed seriously during the All Parties Conference, where concrete proposals were formulated.

He stated that a series of jirgas with tribal elders would begin from the divisional level.