Two women injured in mortar shell blast in KP's Khar bazaar

BAJAUR: Two women were injured when a mortar shell fired from an unidentified location struck Kadook village in Bajaur’s Salarzai tehsil early on Monday, while in a separate incident later in the day, a man was shot dead in Khar bazaar, prompting traders to stage a protest.

Officials and local residents said the mortar shell hit the mountainous village at around 6am. According to an official report lodged at Salarzai police station, the blast left two women injured. The report identified them as 31-year-old Zahida Bibi and 51-year-old Tajrehan Bibi.

The two women were first taken to the tehsil headquarters hospital in Pashat for treatment. District police spokesperson Israr Khan said they were later shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Khar, where their condition was stated to be out of danger.

Israr Khan said an investigation had been launched to determine who was behind the incident. He said a team from Salarzai police station was sent to the area to gather evidence and obtain information from residents in an effort to establish where the mortar shell had been fired from.

Man shot in market

In a separate attack on Monday, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a man in the busy Shingas market in Khar at about 11am, according to police and traders. The victim, identified as 59-year-old Niaz Muhammad, was critically wounded and later died at the district headquarters hospital in Khar during treatment.

DSP Khar circle Saidur Rehman told reporters that police were investigating the killing to trace the attackers and determine their motive. He said the assailants managed to escape from the scene.

Traders stage protest

The killing triggered a protest by the local business community. Scores of shopkeepers and social activists gathered at the main chowk soon after the incident, where they condemned the shooting and called it unacceptable and intolerable.

The protest later turned into a sit-in and was addressed by Khar Traders Association president Wajid Ali Shah, general secretary Sajad Khan Karwan and others, who described the incident as a failure of the relevant authorities. The protesters also criticised police personnel present in the bazaar, alleging that they had made no effort to pursue the attackers.

The demonstrators blocked the road at the main chowk for some time before ending the protest. They warned that a larger demonstration would be held if the security situation in Khar bazaar did not improve.