Pakistan: Bara tribesmen protest against arrest of tribal elder in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], April 5 : Bara tribesmen on Tuesday protested against the arrest of a local tribal elder Malak Haji Mashaad Gul by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and demanded his immediate production at a court of law, reported Dawn.

Elders of Maaroofkhel, Meergatkhel and Sherkhel tribes from Bara alleged that Gul was picked up from Bara bazaar by CTD sleuths on March 31 in broad daylight without presenting any FIR or citing any reason.

The Bara elders threatened to stage a protest and block the main road leading to Torkham if Malak Mashaad Gul was not presented at a court, reported Dawn.

They said Malak Mashaad Gul was a respectable elder of Akkakhel tribe and had no criminal record nor was he associated with any proscribed orgsation.

They raised concern over that CTD had not presented him in any court despite lapse of four days while no charges were so far framed against him, reported Dawn.

Speaking on the occasion, those who led the rally, including Haji Jafer Khan Afridi and others, claimed that as part of a plot by land grabbers to halt land distribution, fake cases were filed against committee members to keep them from doing their job of granting everyone their fair share of the property, reported The Nation.

"We are peace-loving people," they said, "but the CTD police allegedly kidnapped their elder in a false case to blackmail him, which is an injustice to them."

Meanwhile, security in tribal areas has been impacted in the recent wave of terror attacks across the country.

Terrorism in Pakistan has been rearing its head again. Over the past few months, the law and order situation in the country, especially in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan has worsened, with terrorist groups executing attacks with near impunity across the country.

Since the talks with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down in November, the terrorist group has intensified its attacks, particularly targeting the police in KP and areas bordering Afghstan. Insurgents in Balochistan have also stepped up their violent activities and formalised a nexus with the outlawed TTP, reported Dawn.