Malik Arsala Khan, a leading elder of Mehsud tribe from South Waziristan, was shot dead by unknown militants in Tank on Sunday morning. Police say armed men opened indiscriminate firing at Arsala when he was on way to the main market of the town. As a result, the tribal elder died on the spot while the assailants fled the scene. No group or person has so far claimed the responsibility for the killing but the victim’s relatives and friends suspect the involvement of Taliban.
Arsala, who belonged to Shabikhel clan of Mehsud tribe, was counted amongst the pro-government elders from Ladha tehsil. Most of Taliban militants, particularly former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud, his successor Hakimullah Mehsud, Qari Hussain and spokesman Tariq Azam also belong to the same clan. A couple of months back, the elder loyal to the government constituted a peace committee with Arsala Khan as its head. Similarly, he was leading the tribal elders who were supporting early repatriation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Tank and Dera Ismail Khan to the Mehsud-dominated areas of South Waziristan.
The Mehsud tribesmen have termed assassination of Arsala Khan a severe blow to efforts aimed at return of peace and tranquility in South Waziristan. Shah Zaman, an elder, while talking to Pakistan Today said, “It could be hard now for any elder from Mehsud tribe to lead the peace committee or extend help to administration in repatriation of the IDPs from Tank and Dera Ismail Khan regions.” It may be mentioned that since 2004, around 400 leading tribal elders from both Mehsud and Ahmadzai Wazir tribe have fallen prey to the targeted killing.
Amongst them former federal Minister Malik Faridullah Khan, ex-MNA Maulana Noor Mohammad, Malik Mirzalam Khan, Malik Khandan and several others are prominent.