Protest continues in Pakistan’s North Waziristan against targeted killings

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 25 (ANI): Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has protested in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan against the killing of its local leaders and lawlessness in the district, according to local media.
Workers of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and other political parties on Sunday continued a sit-in protest against lawlessness in Eidek village. They demanded early arrest of the killers of JUI-F leaders Qari Samiuddin, Hafiz Nauman and others, Dawn newspaper reported.
According to Dawn, locals and officials said that the JUI-F leader Qari Samiuddin and his colleague, Hafiz Numan Dawar were on their way home in Eidek village when their car was ambushed on Bichi Road near Mirali town in North Waziristan on July 14.
The gunmen shot at the two, leaving them dead on the spot. The relatives of the leader said that Qari Sami had no feud with anyone.
This was the second targeted attack on JUI-F leadership in the restive district during the last one week.
On Monday, a few unidentified gunmen killed a councillor-elect Malik Murtaza, who was also from Eidak village. He was elected councillor during the second phase of the local body elections.
Qari Sami was head of the JUI-F’s Mirali subdivision. He had contested the election on the party ticket from PK-111.
He actively participated in local politics, often criticising the administration and law enforcement agencies for not handling law and order situations in the district, particularly targeted killings, the Dawn reported.
Pakistan Army’s General Officer Commanding Maj-Gen Naeem Akhthar condemned the killing. He vowed to serve justice and termed Qari Sami a strong voice for peace in the area. (ANI)