Hafiz Fahad, a native of Bannu who was previously subjected to enforced disappearance, was reportedly killed during in a security operation in Bannu. Fahad was portrayed as one of the attackers in the incident by Pak Army.

The incident occurred on July 17, when a pre-dawn militant raid targeted a rural medical facility and a Punjabi Pak Army base in Bannu, a garrison town in northwestern Pakistan. Bannu and the surrounding districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have experienced almost daily attacks by the Pak Army and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

This event is part of a broader pattern of violence and exploitation that has plagued the region, particularly affecting the Pashtun community. The Punjabi Pakistan Army conducts numerous operations in the name of counter-terrorism, often resulting in the enforced disappearance of local residents. These actions have intensified in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Ex-FATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Since 1947, the Pashtun lands and people have been subject to exploitation by the Punjabi Pak establishment. Pashtuns have been labeled as terrorists or TTP sympathizers, providing a pretext for military operations, abduction, extra-judicial killings and presence in their territories.

The recent killing of Hafiz Fahad is as another instance of this long-standing pattern of abuse and exploitation, highlighting the ongoing plight of the Pashtun people in the region.

A night of chaos unfolded in the Harehills area of Leeds late Thursday as a police car was overturned and a bus set on fire. Hundreds of people took to the streets, prompting the West Yorkshire Police to label the situation a “serious disorder incident” and urging residents to stay indoors.

Social media has been flooded with videos showing large crowds and scenes of unrest. The cause of the disturbance remains unclear.

In a statement released on Friday, the West Yorkshire Police confirmed that the situation is ongoing and a significant number of public order officers have been deployed to the area.

Initial reports indicate that the disturbance began around 5 p.m. BST on Luxor Street. According to The Guardian, the unrest may be linked to issues involving agency workers and children. A local restaurant owner reported that some community members responded to children being taken into care by setting fires and throwing stones.

Home Secretary and West Yorkshire MP Yvette Cooper expressed her shock at the events. “Disorder of this nature has no place in our society. My thanks go to West Yorkshire police for their response. I am being kept regularly updated,” Cooper wrote on X.

The West Yorkshire Police confirmed that no injuries have been reported so far. Detectives from Leeds CID and the force’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team are investigating the criminal offences, including the damage to vehicles caused by the fire.

“We wish to reassure residents that we are responding to the disorder incidents which have taken place, and that appropriate specialist public order resources are attending,” the police statement read. “We want to make it very clear that the full weight of the law will be brought against those responsible.”

The police are treating the incident as a serious public order matter, with efforts ongoing to restore calm and order to the area.