ABBOTABAD: Muhamamd Afzal Kohistani, the man defending the famous Kohistan video scandal in courts, was gunned down near Gami Adda in Abbottabad on Wednesday evening.
Three commuters identified as Sabir Hussian, resident of Sheikhul Bandi Abbotabad, Kaleem and Sayed Karam, residents of Bajur Agency were severely injured in this incident.
According to unverified report, people on the spot managed to catch the attacker Faiz Ur Rehman, resident of Palas Kohistan, who was then handed over to the police.
A few days before his murder, Afzal Kohistani had reportedly written to the Hazara police for the provision of security owing to threats to his life.
Mohammad Afzal Kohistani had brought the Kohistan video scandal to the media in May 2012. He had blamed that the five girls who were seen singing and clapping in a mobile video recorded during a local wedding in Seerto Village of Kohistan, along with his two dancing brothers were killed on May 30, 2012 under a decree of a local jirga.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan had taken suo motu notice of the video on June 7, 2012. The case was closed when the report of the fact-finding mission sent to the area established that the girls were alive.
The case was reopened after a petition was filed by the National Commission on the Status of Women. Afzal Kohistani through its counsel also pleaded in the court that the jirga has presented other similar-looking girls to the fact-finding mission.
The three hiding brothers of Afzal Kohistani named Shah Faisal, Safi ud Din and Sher Wali were also killed on January 4, 2013 by the tribe of the girls.
Under Supreme Court’s order a new case was registered in Palas police station in Kohistan on July 31, 2018.
The police arrested four suspects namely Saeer, Mohamad Sarfraz, Umar Khan and Saber.
The suspects confessed to killing of three girls named Sireen Jan, Begum Jan, and Bazgha and said that Shaheen and Amna and are still alive.
Afzal Kohistani was however having the stance that all the five girls have been killed.
