KP govt removes DC Malakand, AC Dargai after murder of rights activist

• Deceased activist had raised issues of drug business, car-lifting which were allegedly being carried out by local officials.
• "Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has taken strict notice against the murder of Muhammad Zada in Sakhakot," Kamran Bangash says.
• Thousands of people took to the streets to protest the murder of Mohammad Zada as well as another activist Umar Hayat.

PESHAWAR: Following the protests against the murder of a young rights activist, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Tuesday removed the deputy commissioner, Malakand, and assistant commissioner, Dargai, The News reported.

Announcing the removal of the officials, Minister for Information and Higher Education Kamran Bangash said: "Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has taken strict notice against the murder of Muhammad Zada in Sakhakot. The DC and AC Malakand have been suspended and made OSD. An inquiry has also been ordered into the incident."

The deceased activist had raised the issues of drug business, car-lifting and other crimes, which were allegedly being carried out with the tacit patronage of local officials and influential families.

Following the incident, thousands of people took to the streets to protest the murder of Mohammad Zada as well as another activist Umar Hayat. The two activists were killed in separate incidents. The mother of the deceased Mohammad Zada and others demanded action against the administration as well as members of the mafia for the murder of the young activist.

They were angry that the government had failed to protect Mohammad Zada though he had expressed concerns following his bold stance against the mafias involved in the drug business, car-lifting and other crimes. Some speeches of the deceased had gone viral on social media.

A number of political leaders also took up the issue of the murder of the young activists and demanded the government to take action against the killers as well as the drug mafias in the area.

The predecessor of Deputy Commissioner Altaf Sheikh was also removed a few weeks back after robbers looted a number of tourists in the district.