Khyber Agency: Six of a family gunned down

PESHAWAR: Wali Khan lost six people of his family on January 15. Of the 18-bullet riddled bodies found in Khyber Agency, three were his brothers and three his nephews.

Most of Khan’s family was living at the Jalozai camp for Internally Displaced Persons following a military operation in Khyber tribal area. Some relatives, however, stayed behind to look after personal belongings.

“At 2pm on January 15, security forces came to my family house in Alam Gudar and dragged the men out,” Khan alleged, adding that they were all made to sit in a line before being shot dead.

Raheem, another relative was injured, but survived as the women brought him to safety in time. Raheem is presently admitted at the Khyber Teaching Hospital.

According to Khan, none of his family members were linked to any banned outfit in the Agency.  Neither did they have enemies nor had they been threatened by militants. “They were not guilty; why were they killed? If we have committed a crime, we should be given the evidence for it. We are living below the poverty line.”

Social activist Haleem Afridi said this was not the first such incident in the Agency, adding that such things have become the order of the day.

“Innocent people, including children and women, have been brutally killed. Even our weddings and funerals are not safe anymore,” he claimed. “Some people own properties and stayed back to guard their houses. Now the security forces also want them to leave the area.”