LAKKI MARWAT: A four-year-old boy was killed on Friday when armed men opened fire at his uncle in a playground area in Lakki Marwat, police said.
According to an FIR registered at Bargai police station, the complainant, 32-year-old Mayad Gul, stated that three men — including Mir Abbas Khanzada and Ali Abbas — opened fire at him with the intent to kill. During the attack, his four-year-old nephew, Asad Abbas, who was playing nearby, was struck by a bullet and died on the spot.
Police said a case has been registered against the three suspects and added that the incident stemmed from a long-standing enmity between the two sides.
Following the killing, tribal elders and local residents placed the child’s body on the road and staged a protest in Bannu, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused.
MadaKhel tribal elder Malik Rehmatullah Wazir said the protest and road blockade would continue until those responsible were apprehended. Elders termed the killing “open terrorism” and called for justice.
Addressing the gathering, elders said the slain child had committed no wrongdoing and urged authorities not to ignore their plight. They appealed to the prime minister, the chief minister, and the Pakistan Army to intervene, stressing that the child was innocent.
The protesters also called on community elders and the public to show solidarity, saying their presence was not for spectacle but for justice. They urged residents of Domel Tehsil, Bannu, and nearby markets to support the protest.
Meanwhile, violence continued to grip Bannu, where at least three people were killed and several others injured in two separate firing incidents reported earlier this week.
In one incident, three people were killed and six injured in the Mitha Khel area under Mandan police jurisdiction following a clash between two groups. The deceased were identified as Hassan, a Peshawar University student, Ajab Khan, and Roshan. Three of the injured were later shifted to Peshawar due to the severity of their wounds.
In a separate incident near Mandan Gate, unidentified motorcyclists opened fire on a vehicle, injuring a police officer and his three-year-old son. Head Constable Hashim Ali Khan and his child were taken to hospital for treatment.
