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Angry Protestors Burn Taliban Buildings in Pakistan

by Mohammad Habibzada

   WASHINGTON --

   Angry protestors in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday
   stormed the offices of a militant group that allegedly killed a
   university student from South Waziristan region.

   Protestors attacked at least two buildings believed to be occupied by
   Taliban militants in Shaikh Yousef village of Dera Ismail Khan District
   in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

   In addition to burning the buildings, protestors also reportedly set
   several vehicles on fire that belonged to the militant group.

   Militants residing in the buildings managed to escape.

   Locals reacted to the death of Idrees, a law student of Gomal
   University in Dera Ismail Khan district, who was allegedly killed two
   days ago by what locals say were Taliban militants.

   Local officials, however, charge that the student was killed in a
   personal dispute with other locals in the area and that a person had
   already been taken into custody in connection with Idrees's death.

   A press release sent to reporters by the local law enforcement
   authorities does not talk about militants' presence in the area of
   Tuesday's protest.

   In the press release, police said a criminal investigation is underway
   and action will be taken against those local residents who took the law
   into their hands and set buildings on fire.

   Deadline

   Meanwhile local protestors told VOA that they took things into their
   own hands after the government failed to meet the Tuesday deadline set
   by the residents in which the government was asked to arrest 10
   suspected militants who were allegedly involved in Idrees's killing and
   who were allegedly members of the Taliban.

   Local sources told VOA that Taliban militants with alleged ties to the
   government operated in the area for some time and forced locals into
   obedience.

   The Pakistani government has yet to comment on the presence of Taliban
   in the area. However, the government is accused of tolerating militant
   safe havens and that it is selective in targeting militants on its
   soil, a charge Pakistan denies.

   VOA Deewa contributed to this report.