ISLAMABAD: Muhammad Shakoor Malik, Advocate High Court and currently residing in the USA, said in a telephone conversation with our special correspondent 24 media circle that the manner in which the recent elections were conducted in the Nikyal constituency was unprecedented.
He stated that Malik Ashiq, a prominent leader of the community and tribe, was killed during the election period. Abdul Qayum, a highly educated retired principal from the Malik community, was also seriously injured and is reportedly still struggling between life and death. Businessman Malik Hameed was also injured.
Nearly four months have passed since the elections, and the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir has been formed. The elected representative from Nikyal has also become a minister in the government. However, according to Muhammad Shakoor Malik, the killers of Malik Ashiq have still not been identified or brought before the public, while the Nikyal and district administrations have failed to show sufficient interest in the case.
He appealed to the Malik community of Nikyal to think about the future of their children and questioned how long they would continue to be politically disappointed by leaders of different political parties, including PML-N and PPP.
He urged educated young people of the community to organize themselves and announce a clear course of action, saying that the community should not be expected to make sacrifices while others benefit from them.
He also appealed to overseas youth from the Nikyal constituency, regardless of which country they live in, to raise their voices until the killers of Malik Ashiq are arrested, exposed, and brought to justice, and until justice is provided to Malik Ashiq’s orphaned children.
He called for a social media campaign and urged the Nikyal administration and the relevant government minister to remain accountable on the matter.
He said, “Whoever is responsible for Malik Ashiq’s murder, and whichever political party they belong to, our only demand is that they be identified and brought before the public. The mastermind behind the murder must also be identified.”
Muhammad Shakoor Malik further stated that Malik Ashiq had no known personal enmity with anyone and urged the authorities to immediately investigate the case and arrest those responsible for his killing.
