• Party demands inquiry, holds ECP responsible for the incident
• Additional SHO martyred in Dera Ismail Khan attack

NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Two National Democratic Mov­e­­ment workers were killed and 15 others, including party cha­irman Mohsin Dawar, injured when police allegedly opened fire on a protest in Miramshah Cantonment on Saturday.

The protest was being held outside the RO’s office over delayed election results in the National Assembly constituency NA-40, where Mr Dawar was a candidate.

NDM’s provincial chairperson Bushra Gohar condemned the “cowardly attack” on Mr Dawar and held the ECP responsible for the incident, Dawn.com reported.

The attack on Mr Dawar was carried out while he was protesting against the delay in election results in NA-40 and had alleged there were attempts to rig the results.

However, officials said the incident occurred when NDM supporters reportedly opened fire on police personnel stationed at the gate of a stadium in the area.

The police returned fire, leading to the deaths of two NDM workers and injuries to 15 others, including the former lawmaker.

The injured were initially taken to a local hospital in Miramshah before being transferred to Bannu district, with two individuals in critical condition.

Mr Dawar, however, was reported to be stable after being moved to a private hospital in Peshawar for surgery. “He is in operation theatre but stable,” Ms Gohar told Dawn.

In a post on X (formerly Twi­tter), she said, “Strongly condemn the cowardly attack on NDM chairperson Mohsin Dawar and party workers in North Waziristan. Mohsin and NDM workers are badly inj­ured. ECP is responsible for this.”

Later, in a statement shared on social media, Ms Gohar said, “We refute the baseless propaganda against Mohsin Dawar and NDM.”

The statement read that the mandate of North Waziristan residents was stolen and the NDM would not accept the results, adding that the party would continue the struggle for people’s rights and had the right to challenge the results.

The party urged its workers to stay calm and demanded legal action against those involved in the attack.

Ms Gohar said she wanted the district administration to take action over the incident “as soon as possible” but was not able to get in touch with them. She added that NDM leaders were in the process of filing an FIR.

Another NDM leader Afrasiab Khattak alleged that law-enforcement personnel opened fire on Mr Dawar during the protest.

Additional SHO martyred

Meanwhile, an additional station house officer (SHO) was martyred and two militants were killed in an exchange of fire that took place after a militant attack on him in Dera Ismail Khan’s Darazinda sub-division.

A police spokesman said additional SHO Din Muhammad Sherani was going to Darazinda Police Station for his duty when some militants targeted him in the Morgah area.

In an ensuing exchange of fire, the additional SHO was martyred and two militants were killed.

Rescue 1122 officials shifted Mr Sherani’s body to the District Headquarters Hospital in Dera Ismail Khan. His funeral prayer was offered at Ejaz Shaheed Police Lines with full official protocol and honour.

The funeral was attended by Deputy Commissioner Mansoor Arshad, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Dera Nasir Mehmood Satti, Assistant Commissioner Dera Faseeh Ullah, SP City Ishaq Khan and other senior police officers.

Muhammad Irfan Mughal in Dera Ismail Khan also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2024