In a tragic incident, a local elder tribal, Malik Salahuddin, was shot dead allegedly by TTP in Gomal Bazar, Tank district of Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa. The attack occurred when a group of five individuals entered a shop and opened fire on Salahuddin, killing him on the spot. The assailants fled the scene immediately after committing the crime.
Police have launched an investigation into the killing. However, this incident is part of a worrying trend, as target killings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have risen significantly in recent weeks. Despite the spike in cases, the so-called security forces have failed to apprehend the accused or curb such instances effectively.
Meanwhile, a pro-TTP channel has claimed that TTP killed Salahuddin as he was helping Pak Army in its operation.
However, the local community has voiced strong accusations against the security forces, claiming that they have put the region in this vulnerable and devastating position. The condition of civilians in the region has worsened as TTP and Pak Army, both are involved in killing them.
Pashtuns argue that most part of the region are heavy militarised and checkposts are installed at close distances still the target killings are on the rise. Apparently, their concern is genuine as Pak Army barely takes fructifying steps against the terrorists but keeps a close eye on civilians in the region. Recently, Pashtun right organisation Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) held a protest in Dhaka city against the rise in target killings and the incident of six coal trucks being set on fire.
PTM argues that such acts are happening under the watch of Pak Army and its generals. They harbour terror, fear in the region and the cost is paid by the Pashtun population.