Daily Times

PESHAWAR: There is a wave of doom and gloom at a yard accommodating a few charpoys as people pay condolences and pray for the soul of a young provincial government officer who lost his life to terrorists Wednesday night. Two elder brothers of the deceased, Nawab Khan Safi, were consoled by the visitors who arrive to mourn the death of their younger brother. Nawab Safi, a section officer of the Civil Secretariat, was shot dead by unidentified target killers after he breaking his fast and came out of a mosque after observing Maghrib prayer. He had earlier served as assistant political officer in South Waziristan tribal region. His elder brother Wali Khan recalls how much they were concerned about life of his younger brother. “I used to look after him each time he left home for some chore. But on the fateful Wednesday night, I was tired and could not accompany him when he was targeted by the killers outside his home.” He said that his son was accompanying his brother and the killers also fired at him, but he managed to escape unhurt. Nawab Safi, however, was fatally shot in the head. Nawab Safi had also done his LLB and practiced law before he qualified for the Provincial Management Service examination held by the Public Service Commission a few years ago. “His death has broken our back,” says his brother Wali Khan, his voice choked with emotion. Adam Khan, another elder brother of Nawab Safi, says that when he would leave for South Waziristan for duty, his family would begin praying for his life and the moment he would start travelling from the lawless Waziristan to Peshawar on his leave, they would again pray for him as the law and order situation is worse in the tribal belt. However, he adds, they never knew that Nawab Safi would be targeted in his very own street. Two target killers fired at Nawab Safi in his street outside a mosque and fled the scene. The deceased is survived by a son, a daughter and widow.