Dera Ismail Khan is Bleeding.

The Killings:-


In September 2006 , Maqbool Hussain Siyal was killed by unknown assailants who shot him 37 times. At that time, he was on his way to take an interview with a local politician from an opposition party, the Pakistan Peoples Party. However, Dera Ismail Khan police did not launch any investigation into the incident and simply regarded that his killing happened due to a sectarian conflict.

On 23 of December 2006, Professor Nazakat Ali Imrani, head of Department of Business Administration was returning from Gomal University after attending convocation . When he took turn into street leading to his house unknown gunmen sprayed bullets at Nazakat Ali Imrani , he received bullets in his head neck and chest and died on spot. Four months earlier his elder brother who was well known poet was killed in a similar attack. The very next day Mutawalli Thalla Ghulam Bibi , Ghulam Raza Naqvi was gunned down by unknown assaliants.

The Shia community in Dera Ismail Khan is under attack by unknown assailants , the community has lost many of its prominent figures during the last few months . Killings started with a killing every month, then a killing every week and now multiple killings every week. When these killings started lost year some people held belief that that there was ISI involvement behind these other believed that local Talibans are behind these. On part of Shias there was little anguish against the Sunnis then , but now when these killings have gained momentum and no body is sure who is behind these killings , Shia community’s anger is building up against the Sunni which is not facing any such loss in life

During last one week four people belonging to this community were gunned down and in all cases the murders made their escape good. No arrests have been made or investigation launched so far. The situation in Dera city is quite tense and gloomy people are living under constant threat of Iraq Style sectarian strife where Shias and Sunnis will start killing each other in streets.

Are these sectarian killings?

Are these sectarian killings? …..It will be very big mistake to term these as purely sectarian killings , these indeed are mysterious killings and the killers have some what a hidden agenda which remains uncertain so far. We should keep in mind that general elections are around the corner and these killings indeed have some thing to do with elections.

Settlers:-

The equally important phenomenon which this district is witnessing is tribalization . The Pukhtoon tribesmen started arriving in this districts during the Afghan war , at that time Pakistani government was showering money on these tribes to rent their loyalties , coupled with that was enormous flow of money from drug trade by these tribesmen which was at peak during those tumultuous timings. During 80s and 90s titles of ownership of huge chunks of the agricultural land were transferred from local Seraikis to Puhktoon tribes. Locals due to wide spread poverty and unemployment sold their lands on the hands of drug barons to make the two ends meet. Figures are not available but at the moment majority of Agricultural land belongs to these tribes.

Dera today has lost its Seraiki character , Pukhtoons are dominating in every field , be it government offices or markets , be it a local college or university and be it a circular road or river bank. If you go to local NADRA Office or passport office you come across hoards of Pukhtoons who are waiting to get their Identity cards and passports , at the same time they are registering themselves as voters . These tribesmen are not only intolerant and racist towards the locals but also hold a believe of expelling them out of Dera one day . Ones during a hot argument one Pukhtoon told a derawal , time is not far when your fate will be similar to that of Palestinians people. In other words God forbid they have agenda of ethnic cleansing of Seraikis.

Locals:-

Local Seraikis also called derawals are politically naïve and inactive people , despite being in majority they were never able to produce leadership of their own . Dera Ismail Khan historically was a part of Seraiki belt. It was in 1901` when Lord Curzon severed it from mainland Seraiki area and merged with other trans Indus divisions to create NWFP. The Muslim derawals were jubilant over creation of this another Muslim majority province , but Hindu Derawals being more political active and enlightened agitated against this move of Lord Curzon.

Due to various reasons, in pre and post independence area Seraikis could never organize themselves politically . One reason was an identity crisis , they were confused about their identity , the only idea they had was that they are derawal and speak derawali or Hindko language. Their inability to relate themselves with rest of ethnic groups in NWFP and organize themselves politically resulted in political domination by Pukhtoons. In most of the General elections a Pukhtoon would return to National assembly from this predominately Seraiki area . Even at this stage they don’t have leadership of any sort . Today they stand divided and offer no resistance to a looming threat of tribalization of their area.

Pukhtoon Politicians and Awami National Party:-

Awami National Party , a pukhtoon nationalist group has started organizing it self in the area . It will be very easy for the party to muster the support of new settlers in the area who erstwhile have no political affiliations . Seraikis still have a deceive majority in Dera Ismail Khan and it will be in fact impossible for ANP to get even a single seat from this area with out dividing Seraiki votes. . Who so ever is behind these killings has put Mulana Fazl ur Rehman and ANP in great advantage , Seraikis of the area definitely will vote along the sectarian lines. Shias for Shia candidates and Sunni obviously for Mulana Fazlu Ur Rehman . Pukhtoon voters will primarily vote for ANP or for Mulana Fazlu ur Rehman . In either case Seraikis will be loser and this time again a Pukhtoon candidate will return from this District.