Pakistan: Tribesmen hold protest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over Parachinar killings, demand arrest of murderers

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 8 : Tribesmen on Sunday held a protest in the Parachinar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Kurram district against the killing of eight people in separate firing incidents last week and warned to start a protest movement against the government if the killers were not punished, demanding immediate arrest of the murderers, the Dawn reported.

Protesters belonging to the Turi Bangash tribe marched on foot to the Parachinar Press Club. The protest comes after eight people, including five teachers, were killed in separate incidents of firing in Parachinar on May 4.

While addressing the protesters, tribal leaders Syed Muhammad, Syed Akhlaq Hussain, and others said that killings were being called a land dispute, however, Turi Bangash tribesmen did not have a land dispute with anyone, as per the Dawn report.

The tribal leaders called on the provincial government to lodge cases against the employees who were present in the school at the time of the killings. The tribal leaders said that they will start a protest movement if the killers were not punished.

Criticising the policy of the education adviser and secretary, the tribal leaders said that the education department officials did not bother to even attend the funerals of the teachers who were killed, as per the news report.

Turi Bangash tribe in a press release said that the information regarding the Parachinar killings reported by the media and the administration was contrary to the facts. They demanded the immediate arrest of the police constable present on duty at the school that day, the headmaster and the class four employees on duty.

Turi Bangash tribe said that an investigation should be started after the arrest of the headmaster, police constable and class four employees, as per the Dawn report.

Meanwhile, a peace jirga was held at Governor Cottage Parachinar to bring the situation back to normal in the Kurram district. The jirga decided to take several measures regarding sustainable peace in Kurram.

Pakistan's Federal Minister for Overseas Pakists Sajid Turi, Kohat Division Commissioner Syed Muhammad Ali Shah, Kohat Deputy Inspector General of Police Sher Akbar Khan, Brigadier Shahzad Azim, Deputy Commissioner Syed Saiful Islam Shah and other officials attended the jirga.

At least eight people, including five teachers, were killed in separate incidents of firing in the Parachinar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Kurram district on May 4, Dawn reported.

Upper Kurram District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Imran said that a teacher was killed in the first incident and seven in the school shooting. He added that those killed at the school included four teachers and three drivers. He said the first shooting incident occurred on a road near the Shalozan area while the second was at Teri Mengal School.