LANDI KOTAL: It was rare that 32-year-old Zil Akbar, a diligent construction worker, would venture out to Jamrud bazaar as he would steadfastly focus on his work and enjoy playing cricket with his friends and co-workers after a hard daylong labour.

A mistake in his Computerised National Identity Card forced him to take time out of his busy schedule on September 1 and went to the National Database and Registration Authority offices near the local political administration offices for correction.

Zil Akbar was anxious to finish the official paperwork early and go back to the building in his native Ghundi area, where he worked as a mason.

And while he was waiting in the queue outside the Nadra offices, a suicide bomber blew himself up near the main gate of the administration offices and killing Zil Akbar among three others on the spot.

Father of three minor daughters, Zil Akbar was the only breadwinner of a family of 15.

His 70-year-old father, Shehzad Khan, was all tears when he narrated Zil Akbar’s desire for a son, as is common among Pakhtun men.

“My other three sons are too young to shoulder the responsibility of earning for the big family and we all were dependent on Zil Akbar, who was a dutiful son and a loving and caring father himself and husband,” he said.

Zil Akbar was also fond of playing cricket and was a useful all-rounder for his village team. One of his team-mate and co-worker Malak Jan described him as a quiet, pious man fully concentrating on his work and playing cricket in the evening.

Shehzad Khan, father of Zil Akbar, demanded of the political administration to recruit two of the deceased’s younger sons in the khasadar and levies force as he himself was unable to work and his family lost their only breadwinner in the Tuesday blast.

Imran, 15, who was injured in the suicide attack, is now recuperating at the Hayatabad Medical Complex with his 75-year-old grandfather caring for him there.

Imran used to sell boiled corncobs in front of the offices of political administration in Jamrud Bazaar and he too was the lone breadwinner for his mother and two brothers and two sisters.

He was badly injured in the suicide attack and was taken to Peshawar hospital where his grandfather was now waiting for official assistance to treat his grandson.

Imran’s father was killed in an air strike in Kukikhel area of Tirah as he was working in his field some two years ago. Since then, Imran had been bringing a huge pot full with boiled corncobs on his head and would wait for his customers till the stock was exhausted.

He used to take some edibles for his family while returning home in the evening.

His ailing grandfather appealed to the government to announce free treatment for Imran and a monthly stipend for his family.

On Wednesday, the Khyber Agency political administration had announced Rs300,000 for the deceased, Rs90,000 for the critically injured ones and Rs35,000 for those who suffered minor injuries in the blast near the main gate of AP offices in Jamrud, Khyber Agency.

Also read: Four killed, 56 injured in Jamrud suicide attack

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015

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