BAJAUR: Residents of Chamarkand area, located near the Pak-Afghan border, on Friday blocked the Bajaur-Peshawar Road in Mamad Gat area against what they said a search operation conducted in their locality on Thursday night.

Women and children also participated in the demonstration.

The demonstrators said the search operation distressed the people, adding the action was taken after an unpleasant incident occurred in nearby Kamangra locality.

The protesters condemned the action, saying the villagers were peace-loving and had nothing to do with the said incident.

The protesters vowed to continue the agitation till senior officials of the district administration gave them assurance that such actions won’t be repeated in future.

Later, a group of tribal elders and political leaders met the demonstrators to convince them to end their protest, but they refused.

However, the protesters lifted the road blockade when a team of district administration officials led by Nawagai subdivision assistant commissioner Zahid Kamal visited the protest site, and assured them that there would be no search operation in their locality in future.

In a separate development, unidentified assailants shot dead two brothers in Barang tehsil, local residents and police said on Friday.

They said the incident occurred in hilly Qurat Kani locality on Thursday evening.

The villagers said Ajmeer Khan and Maze Khan were on way to their home when assailants opened fire on them, injuring them seriously. They succumbed to injuries while being shifted to hospital.

According to residents, the victims had no enmity with anyone in the area, and were associated with vegetable business.

A police official said a case was registered against unknown assailants in Barang police station, and efforts were launched to trace the killers.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2021