MIR ALI, Pakistan – The town of Mir Ali in the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the scene of a tragic incident, as six people were brutally killed by unidentified armed men. This event comes at a time when the province is grappling with an escalating law and order situation, stemming from the increasing terrorism activity, just over a month before the countrywide elections.
Located 12 kilometers east of Miran Shah, the district headquarters, and 40 kilometers west of Bannu, Mir Ali has become a part of Bannu Division. The victims, hailing from Punjab, were the owners of barber shops in the local bazaar. According to the police, they were abducted the day before their bodies were discovered in a nearby area on Tuesday.
The rise in terrorism attacks, including those targeting military and police personnel, as well as incidents of targeted killings, has been particularly prevalent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially in the former tribal belt. However, the areas surrounding Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan have been the hardest hit.
The worsening law and order situation has presented a significant challenge for certain political parties, including JUI-F, ANP, PML-N, and PPP, who have been recurrent targets of terrorist groups. In light of these circumstances, JUI-F emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a previous victim of an attack near Dera Ismail Khan, has called for the postponement of the February 8 polls.
The ANP provincial chief, Aimal Wali Khan, and Fazl are reportedly facing serious threats. They believe that the PTI clinched power in the province in 2013 and 2018 after others were not allowed to run election campaigns.
The province has been experiencing a resurgence of terrorism ever since the resettlement of Taliban and their families in the erstwhile tribal region, as part of so-called peace talks. This has raised concerns about the overall security situation in the region.
In Mir Ali, Pakistan, six individuals were tragically killed by unidentified armed individuals, further highlighting the worsening law and order situation in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The rise in terrorism activities and targeted attacks has posed a significant challenge to political parties as they prepare for the upcoming countrywide elections. The implications of these events on the security and stability of the region continue to be of great concern.