Two tribal elders shot dead in Bajaur

KHAR: Unidentified assailants shot dead two tribal elders in Laitai village in Salarzai tehsil of Bajaur district, police said Wednesday.

They said that the assailants opened fire on Malik Saadat Khan and Malik Shazullah Khan at 8:30pm in the remote Laitai village, killing both the elders on the spot.

The attackers fled the scene after committing the crime.

The police said that the bodies were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Khar for postmortem.

The bodies were later handed over to relatives for burial in their native places.

The motive behind the killing could not be ascertained. The police have registered a case against the unknown accused and started an investigation.

Meanwhile, the local elders have urged the government and the law-enforcement agencies to take pragmatic steps for halting target killings and arresting the accused involved in the heinous crimes in Bajaur district.

They said that target killings, kidnappings and other crimes were on the rise in Bajaur but the district administration, police and law-enforcing agencies had become silent spectators to the ever-worsening situation.

The incidents of target killings have increased in the newly merged tribal districts in recent days. At least four tribal elders were shot dead in North Waziristan two days back.

The killings have caused concern among the people and led to criticism of the government for failing to protect citizens. No claim of responsibility for the incidents have been claimed.