Non-arrest of Asma’s killer: Marwat tribe threatens to block Indus Highway

LAKKI MARWAT: A grand jirga of Marwat tribe has threatened to block Indus Highway if the prime suspect involved in the killing of Asma Rani, a 3rd year student at the Ayub Medical College, was not arrested till February 28.

The warning was issued at a meeting held in Meenakhel fort in Lakki city on Tuesday.

Former provincial minister Anwar Kamal Khan’s elder son Naser Kamal Marwat had convened the meeting to chalk out a strategy to press the government to arrest Mujahidullah Afridi, the main accused in the murder case.

Noted among the elders were advocate Sadruddin of ANP, Ameer Nawaz of JUI-F, district councillor Irfanullah of Jamaat-e-Islami, Muhammad Iqbal and Hakim Asghar of PTI, former district naib nazim Arifullah Khan, former councillor Iqbal Khan Khoidadkhel, councillor Mehmood Khan and Nawaz Khan Saeedkhel.

The young medical student of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad was killed in Kohat on January 28 on the pretext of refusing a marriage proposal.

She belonged to Naurang town of Lakki Marwat district and was laid to rest in Dheri graveyard on Jan 29.

Her brutal murder and fleeing of prime killer Mujahidullah Afridi sparked protests in the district, prompting the elders and area politicians to sit together and chalk out a strategy in this regard.

Speaking at jirga meeting, Naser Kamal condemned chief minister Pervez Khattak for his statement on a private television channel wherein he had said that incidents like murdering of Asma Rani were common in Pakistan and would keep happening.

“To raise voice and protest the killing of Asma Rani is our democratic right and we will use it to press the government to ensure arrest of the main accused without any delay,” he added.