Protesters in Shangla demand arrest of DEO’s killers

BISHAM: Hundreds of people staged a protest here on Tuesday to demand arrest of the killers of district education officer in Kulai-Palas district.

Carrying banners and placards, the protesters blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for five hours. They were chanting slogans against the government for its failure to arrest the accused involved in the murder of District Education Officer (DEO) Nawab Ali Khan. Nawab Ali Khan, a resident of Chakisar in Shangla district, was shot dead in his office a few days back.

Speaking on the occasion, protesters, including Jehan Didar, Rahbar Ali, Sultan Sikandar, Shahid Ahmed, Dr Afsarul Mulk Khan, Rashad Khan, Altaf Hussain Gulab, Muhammad Yar Khan and others said the government should abolish the district status of Kulai- Palas as it was a controversial district, adding, the murder case should be transferred from Palas to Mansehra.

They asked the government to suspend all the police officers in Kulai-Palas district due to their alleged negligence.

The protesters demanded the government to include the member provincial assembly (MPA) and education officials in Kulai-Palas in the investigation process.

They said the Kulai-Palas was a dangerous area where bloodshed had become a routine practice for the locals, adding, no government servant and official was willing to work there.

The protesters said that the slain official had sought security from the local police but he was not provided security under a conspiracy. They demanded the government to transfer all the officials belonging to Shangla district posted in Kohistan districts to other districts as they were afraid that they could be harmed.

Meanwhile, the teachers also staged protest in Chadarra, Upper Dir to condemn the murder of the DEO. They demanded the government to announce a Shaheed package for the slain officer.