In a major development, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police authorities have revealed that the Swat school van attack incident was not an act of terror, but an honor killing.
According to the details, KPK Inspector General of Police (IGP) Moazam Jah Ansari, while addressing a press conference, said that the two violent incidents which recently took place in Swat were not acts of terror, but vengeance arising from a personal feud.
“The murder of the school-van driver on October 10 was a case of honor killing,” said KP IGP. He also revealed that in the case, a man had killed the husband of his sister for the honor.
Read more: The pandora box of Swat’s problems
While asserting that the attacks were not terror attacks, the KP IGP also revealed that one man has been arrested in the killing, while two are still at large. He said the weapon and the motorcycle used in the killing have also been recovered.
Similarly, another firing incident that targeted children was also an armed clash between two rival groups.
Terror in Swat
Armed men opened fire on a school van in Swat’s Char Bagh, killing a driver and injuring a student. The suspect was targeting the driver of the school van while 10-11 students were present inside the van at the time of the shooting.
In another separate incident, three students were injured when their school van was ‘caught in a crossfire’ as two armed groups clashed.
The incidents caused a storm across Pakistan as the nation raised concerns over the deteriorating peace situation in Swat, over two months after return of militants was reported.
Read more: Nation in anger over school van attack in Swat
The attack on the Swat school van sparked protests in the area. Thousands of people took to the streets to demand the arrest of the culprits behind the attack on a school van in Swat.
People are asking the law enforcement agencies to “Do More” to maintain peace.
People of Rawalpindi today came out in large numbers in solidarity with Swat. #PeaceinSwat pic.twitter.com/E0RPeq0lVt
— Shiffa Z. Yousafzai (@Shiffa_ZY) October 14, 2022
Locals in Mingora claim that terrorists from banned outfits were behind the attack, although no terrorist group has yet taken responsibility for the attack.