Shinwari protest leader threatened with death before attack

The Shinwari protest organizer had been threatened with death by Afghan Local Police (ALP) commander’s father Jalal Pacha before a bloody suicide bombing in Nangarhar province, Pajhwok has learnt.
At least 73 people were killed and 165 others wounded when a suicide bomber targeted the protest rally on the main Jalalabad-Torkham highway in the Daka area of Momand Dara district.
Residents had gathered in Daka for a demonstration against the ALP commander and his father Jalal Pacha, who they accused of killing and beating innocent people and as well robbing locals of their valuables.
Hayat Khan, a tribal elder and organizer of the rally, said he was threatened with death over the telephone by ALP commander Bilal Pacha’s father Jalal Pacha two months ago.
In the telephonic conversation heard by Pajhwok Afghan News, Jalal told Hayat: “What is going on? You have again protested against us.” Hayat Khan replied: “We are doing nothing against you.”
Jalal thundered back: “All things you are doing are against me; I’m not a child. By God, I’ll eliminate you along with your children. You don’t know how my reaction will be. I have beaten and removed a lot of people like you.”
The conversation between Khan and Pacha continued for two minutes and 37 seconds, with Jalal Pacha frequently threatening Khan with death and using harsh words.
Hayat Khan confirmed being warned by Jalal Pacha not to file complaints with any government organ against him. “I have provided tapes of the telephonic conversation to the police headquarters, attorney general office and the governor’s house.”
However, he added, no action had been taken so far.
Jalal Pacha was the deputy head of the Pakistani Taliban affiliate Lashkar-i-Islam. After joining the peace process three years ago, he was appointed as ALP commander for Achin district.
Currently, his son Bilal Pacha is serving as an ALP commander.
Hayat Khan complained they had been tolerating the cruelty of both Jalal and Bilal over the past few years. “Pacha and his sons have killed and kidnapped several people; they have also extorted money from residents.”
To get rid of these injustices, Khan added, residents had submitted 110 complaints to Nangarhar police, attorney general, the governor’s office and other state organs.
“When we became fed up with their brutality, we registered complaints. Jalal Pacha warned us of death and killed our two associates named Arafat and Ramdad Khan a few days later,” he recalled.
In reaction to their murder, the Shinwaris staged the protest in Daka. “A suicide bomber, sent by Jalal Pacha, targeted us,” the tribal elder spoke of the attack, which killed at least 73 people and wounded more than 150 others.
Another tribal leader, Esmatullah Shinwari, also accused Jalal Pacha and his son of orchestrating the deadly bombing of the protest rally.
He said: “Jalal Pacha — a Lashkar-i-Islam member — tortured many innocent people, so much so that he gouged out eyes of residents. His barbarity intensified after he joined the peace process.”
Haji Hazrat Ali, a lawmaker from Nangarhar, confirmed the Shinwaris had also sent a string of complaints to Parliament. “They presented us with document and we handed them to the government. But action is yet to be taken.”
The MP alleged ALP commander Bilal Pacha had been involved in smuggling drugs, fanning insecurity and kidnapping of moneychangers in Nangarhar.
A government source, meanwhile, revealed Jalal Pacha had built a palace in the Qasimabad locality of Behsud district, where he also runs a private hospital.
Without going into details, the source claimed that Pakistani Taliban were treated at the hospital after sustaining wounds in clashes with the Afghan security forces.
About public complaints, the governor’s spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said they had taken serious steps against Jalal Pacha’s family. Pacha was arrested but he had to be released in the absence of criminal evidence against him.
Bilal Pacha and his two brothers were detained after the suicide attack on the protestors, the spokesman said. Efforts were ongoing for the arrest of Jalal Pacha, he added.
Khogyani revealed a delegation had arrived in Nangarhar from Kabul to investigate the issue. However, he denied a hospital was being run at Jalal Pacha’s residence.
He asked those who had documents regarding the private hospital to share them with the government.
Similarly, Nangarhar Attorney Khalid Ahmad also said no complaint had been registered against the ALP commander. Pajhwok tried to contact Jalal Pacha for comment, but failed.