Peace may be coming to Swat but the restive southwestern town of Hangu has suddenly witnessed three horrifying episodes of violence in two consecutive days. These acts of terror have left the town of Hangu

In one incident, a middle-aged lawyer named Nisar-ul-Haq, who had been abducted by unidentified armed men – suspected to be the local Taliban – a few days ago, was brutally murdered. Nisar, an ex-school teacher, was abducted and murdered apparently on the charges of keeping friendly relations with members of the Shia sect in the community. Nisar’s corpse was found at the foothill in Shahu Khel area, Hangu neighboring area. He had been shot dead by the kidnappers.

In a second incident, happening on the same day, the corpse of a slaughtered school-age child was discovered in the Gul Bagh area of Hangu. No information of why and by whom the boy was killed but the news precipitated terror in the whole area.

In a most horrific incident, taking place this morning (February 27, 2009), unidentified armed men opened fire on a vehicle carrying school children to their school in Usterzai, a Shia dominated area. Reportedly, the driver and three children were killed and the rest were abducted by the attackers. As a result of today’s terrorist act on children, the schools and markets remained closed and fear ruled the town’s population.