Funeral Prayers Held Separately for Nine Victims Martyred in Drone Attack in Shamozai
Dr. Amjad Ali, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Malakand Division, tribal elders of the Gujar community, political and social figures, and a large number of people attended the funeral prayers.
Swat (Web News)
Funeral prayers were offered separately for the nine members of two families who were martyred in a drone attack in Shamozai, Mardan. The funeral of five members of one family was held at Ghaligay Ground, while the funeral of the other four members was conducted in Mian Baba (Saidu Sharif).
The funeral prayers for five individuals from a family in Tehsil Barikot’s area of Ghaligay were attended by Provincial Minister for Housing Dr. Amjad Ali, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Malakand Division, tribal elders of the Gujar community, political and social figures, and a large number of people.
The deceased included 50-year-old Wazirzada, son of Qalandar, from Budai Dara, Barikot Tehsil, his two children—19-year-old daughter Shaheen and 22-year-old son Naseeb Zada—as well as 30-year-old Imroz Khan and his 18-year-old brother Umar Ali, sons of Sahibzada. Their funeral prayers were held at the football ground in Ghaligay, Barikot.
Similarly, the funeral prayers for four victims from Shaukat Dara in Giligram, Saidu Sharif, were held in Mian Baba. The deceased included 65-year-old Shah Da, son of Qaiser, 18-year-old Hazrat Bilal, son of Amirzada, 25-year-old Shaheen, wife of 60-year-old Shah Da, and their grandson, 20-year-old Hazrat Bilal, son of Amirzada. Also among the deceased were their 27-year-old daughter-in-law, Shaheen, wife of Lal Zada, and 20-year-old Sadiq, son of Pasham Khan.
Before the funeral, the bodies of the victims were brought to Swat, where their families, members of the Gujar community, and locals staged a protest at Barikot Chowk, demanding justice from the government.
During the collective funeral prayers, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan and Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Malakand Division Inayatullah Khan strongly condemned the drone attack, calling it an act of extreme cruelty and brutality. They alleged that such actions were part of a conspiracy against the Pashtun community to change their mindset, but those orchestrating such plans were mistaken.
Labeling the Mardan incident as “state terrorism,” they demanded a judicial inquiry into the attack and justice for the victims. They urged the government and state institutions to halt operations against Pashtuns and instead take action against the bandits in Kacha areas who have openly challenged the government’s authority.
Provincial Minister for Housing Dr. Amjad Ali also condemned the attack, stating that it was deeply saddening that innocent people were targeted in a drone strike and later wrongfully labeled as terrorists. Addressing the controversial remarks made by Barrister Saif, he suggested that the statement might have been related to the broader ongoing operation in the area. However, he affirmed that the Swat shepherds who were killed were entirely innocent.
Dr. Amjad Ali further stated that the government had reached an agreement with the elders of the Gujar community, under which an FIR had been registered for the incident. He assured that every effort would be made to conduct an impartial investigation and ensure justice. He also announced that the government stood with the families of the martyrs and, after Eid, they would be compensated under the “Martyr Package.”
Gujar community elders, including Haji Jalalat Khan, Mehboob Rahman, and Syed Akbar Khan, demanded that the government honor its agreement; otherwise, widespread protests would be held across the Malakand Division.
Advocates Syed Mahmood and Reza Khan from the Gujar community explained that every year, after August, when Swat experiences cold and snowfall, shepherds migrate to plains to graze their livestock. The victims were herding their sheep and goats on leased land in the mountains of Shamozai when the tragic incident occurred.
Provincial Minister Dr. Amjad Ali emphasized that while they support the war against terrorism, it is the responsibility of operational forces to ensure that innocent and unarmed civilians are not wrongfully targeted.