Update on killing of young Pakistani cricketer's father

An 8-year-old girl from Pakistan’s volatile North Waziristan region, Aina Wazir, has drawn international attention after a video of her street cricket bowling went viral online.

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Her cricket technique, which impressed professional players, went viral in a clip that later placed the cameraman in danger. While Aina is now safe, The Media Line has obtained details about what happened to the man who filmed the video, when he was kidnapped by terrorists, and to her father, who was killed before the video brought his daughter’s talent to light.

Aina Wazir’s father, Omar Wazir, was a well-known and soft-spoken figure in his community who worked as a schoolteacher and also ran a travel agency. About eight years ago, he purchased a vehicle that had not been cleared through customs and later sold it to a local resident after using it for some time. The vehicle subsequently passed through several owners.

Months ago, authorities reported that a different vehicle bearing the same registration number was used in a terrorist attack. Intelligence agencies later summoned Omar Wazir for questioning in connection with the incident. He told officials that he had sold the original vehicle years earlier, and that the car involved in the attack was using a fake license plate. He was released and allowed to return home.

Shortly afterward, unidentified armed men abducted him from his residence. Several days later, his body was found bearing signs of torture. Reports indicate that the group responsible for the terrorist attack may also have been involved in his killing.

The kidnapping of Aina Wazir's cameraman

In a related case, Zafran Wazir, who filmed the video of Aina Wazir that later went viral, was also abducted and later released. The video angered those linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan armed group.

Members of the group stormed Zafran Wazir’s home, abducted him, and later released a video in which he was forced to apologize for filming Aina and sharing the footage online, pledging not to record girls or use social media.

According to reports, the abductors said that making and sharing the video of the young girl violated Islamic teachings and Pashtun traditions.

After his release, Zafran Wazir said he had been subjected to severe torture during his captivity. Writing on his social media account, he said that no part of his body was spared and that he endured deep humiliation while being held.

Aina Wazir is in a safe location, according to one of her relatives, who released a video of her appealing to the government of Pakistan to improve educational opportunities for girls like her.

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