A teenage khariji, identified as Zulqarnain, who was injured during a deadly attack on a police check-post in Orakzai district on 14 June, has succumbed to his wounds, officials confirmed on Saturday.
According to District Police Officer (DPO) Orakzai Shaukat Khan, Zulqarnain was involved in the assault on Karappa Checkpost, where Sub-Inspector Inayat Khan was martyred. Zulqarnain, who was wounded in retaliatory fire, was later identified and confirmed dead due to his injuries.
Shockingly, the attacker was a 10th-grade student at Government High School, Ghiljo, and a resident of Kandi Mishti in Orakzai. He had been missing for the past six months, with a missing persons report already filed at the local police station.
Security sources revealed that Zulqarnain had been recruited and radicalised by the banned terrorist outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or Fitna al-Khawarij as declared by the state, a clear indication of the group’s ongoing efforts to target and brainwash school-going children for their violent agenda.
Police say they had received intelligence indicating Zulqarnain’s growing links with khawarij prior to the attack. His case serves as a grim reminder of how Fitna al-Khawarij continues to exploit vulnerable youth in the region, luring them into acts of terrorism under the guise of ideology.
Authorities have condemned the use of minors in terrorist activities and reiterated calls for collective efforts from communities, educational institutions, and security agencies to safeguard children from such extremist influence.
The attack that claimed the life of SI Inayat Khan had already sent shock-waves across the region. The revelation of the attacker’s age and background has added another tragic layer to the incident, underlining the urgent need for de-radicalisation initiatives and community awareness.
