MALAKAND: The Malakand Levies on Monday arrested two men for the murder of social worker Mohammad Zada of Agra area. The accused, including Zubair of Sakhakot and Dawood of Dargai, were produced before the media amid tight security.

Social worker Mohammad Zada Agrawal was gunned down in the College Colony area on Nov 8. He had launched a campaign against drug traffickers in the district.

Deputy commissioner Anwarul Haq said a Kalashnikov and a motorcycle used in the crime had been recovered from the accused.

He said the accused, who had confessed to the murder during preliminary interrogation, worked for drug traffickers in the district. The DC said a gang of 61 criminals were involved in drug trafficking.

He said around 30 drug dealers had been arrested from across the district, while a search for the others was under way. Mr Haq said an anti-narcotics force named after social activist Mohammad Zada had been formed to fight drugs in the area. The murder of Muhammad Zada sparked street protests across the region.

The protesters, including activists of political parties and social organisations, insisted that Mohammad Zada received death threats for his work against drug dealers but the district administration and Levies and police didn’t provide him with security.

Soon after his murder, provincial Chief Minister Mahmood Khan ordered the removal of then deputy commissioner Altaf Ahmed Shaikh and assistant commissioner Fawad Khattak and directed the relevant authorities to probe the incident to trace culprits.

Also, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly condemned the murder of the social activist and called for legislation for the punishment of narcotics dealers in the province.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2021