BANNU: A video footage showing armed men torturing a 15-year-old girl in Domel tehsil of Bannu has gone viral on social media.
According to local sources, the girl identified as Hamshda was reportedly seen moving around in male clothing and adopting a masculine appearance. She was reportedly seen in Domel and Township areas.
They said that despite repeated warnings from her family, she continued to wear clothes of men and roam around. They said that unidentified armed men allegedly abducted the girl and took her to an undisclosed location where she was subjected to torture.
A video of the incident was also recorded and later circulated on social media. In the video, the girl is made to say that she will not go out in this manner or roam with boys in the future. She was reportedly released after being forced to promise not to repeat such actions.
According to Domel police, no formal complaint has been received from any affected party so far, and no FIR has been registered in connection with the incident. However, officials say that all aspects of the case are being carefully examined and further developments will be shared.
TTP announces probe; ANP condemns incident
A pamphlet, attributed to proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), is also making rounds on social media. The pamphlet announces to conduct an inquiry into the incident. It says that action will be taken against the responsible people if they are found to be affiliated with TTP.
It is worth mentioning that earlier in Domel area, police had arrested a boy Sahib Khan for allegedly using inappropriate language on social media. After being released on bail, he was reportedly detained by militants and forced to publicly repent.
During the same period, barbers in Domel and Township areas were also reportedly warned not to keep makeup-related items in their shops.
Our Peshawar Bureau adds: Awami National Party (ANP) president Aimal Wali Khan on Thursday strongly condemned the alleged torture on a minor girl by militants in Domel area of Bannu, saying that punishing a child for earning a lawful livelihood was an insult to both humanity and Islam.
In a statement, he questioned whether adopting a lawful means of livelihood to support one’s family had become a crime. He said that militants were using religion as a shield but in reality they were bringing disrepute to it.
The ANP leader said that such brutality during the holy month of Ramazan raised serious questions about claims of serving Islam. He also referred to an earlier incident involving young cricketer Aina Wazir, saying that a man, who recorded her cricket video, had allegedly been abducted and tortured.
He questioned the silence of government and law enforcement agencies over such incidents. He said that a separate set of laws for Pakhtuns and another for the rest of the country was unacceptable.
The ANP president claimed that from Kohat to Waziristan, militants were effectively running a parallel system within the state. He alleged that government’s writ had practically ended in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that no group had the authority to decide what was right or wrong or to determine punishments. Such incidents, he added, posed serious questions about the state’s authority.
Expressing concern over the prevailing situation, he said that current circumstances posed a challenge to state’s writ. He said that internal extremism was more dangerous than external terrorism.
The ANP leader also questioned whether the state was still pursuing a policy of distinguishing between “good” and “bad” militants. He said that nation was suffering from consequences of such policies. Repeating past mistakes, he said, would not be in the interest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Pakistan.
He said that if the dangerous trend was not stopped, situation could become even more serious than imagined. He added that protecting life, property and fundamental rights of people was the responsibility of state and government.
Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2026
