Lakki Marwat [Pakistan], December 30 : Cattle traders staged a protest at the Miryakhel cattle market in Bannu on Sunday, voicing their anger over the alleged killing of a fellow trader by the police in the Lakki Marwat district, as per Dawn.
The protesters, who assembled at the market in the morning, called for the dismissal of a terrorism-related case filed against the deceased trader and urged a thorough investigation into the incident.
During the demonstration, Malik Dil Faraz Khan, Akbar Nawaz Khan, Munawar Khan, Saadullah, and others stated that a few days earlier, the Serai Gambila police in Lakki Marwat had allegedly killed a cattle trader named Asif Ali and subsequently labeled him a terrorist Dawn reported.
They mentioned that the deceased, along with his father, Abdul Sattar, would visit the market every day for business.
As per Dawn, a trader explained that on the night of December 23, Asif Ali was riding his motorcycle back to his Mandan Manjiwala village after watching a kabaddi match when the police signaled him to stop.
"This frightened Asif, causing him to speed away, which led the police to chase him and shoot him dead," he said.
According to the report, the traders added that the killing also triggered protests in Lakki Marwat. They called on the provincial police authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and to withdraw the FIR filed against him under various sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Pakistan Penal Code.
A health staff member, speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the paramedical staff association on Sunday, stated that the shortage of doctors in public sector hospitals is severely affecting healthcare services in rural areas of Lakki Marwat, with over two dozen basic health units operating without physicians.
The event was attended by former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA and the party's provincial deputy general secretary Malik Noor Saleem Khan, former district councillor Fawad Ahmad Khan, deputy district health officer Tauqeer, medical superintendent of Government City Hospital Kifayat Bitanni, along with local elders and paramedics.
Saleem administered the oath to the newly elected president of the association, Farifullah Khan, senior vice-president Khairullah, general secretary Ali Amin Shah, and other office-bearers. On this occasion, the association's provincial general secretary, Luqman Gul, emphasized that paramedics play a crucial role in delivering healthcare services to the sick.
He noted that while health facilities are facing a shortage of doctors, the presence of paramedics ensures that service delivery is not affected. He also urged the government to allow paramedics to practice privately in rural areas after their official hours.
The former lawmaker remarked that, since the chief minister hails from the southern region, he is committed to bringing sustainable development to this underdeveloped part of the province. Saleem encouraged paramedics to fulfill their professional duties with integrity and devote themselves to serving the community.