Female dancer killed in Pakistan as robbers ambush troupe in rest

PESHAWAR: A young female dancer was killed while her two sisters and two other performers escaped unhurt as they were waylaid on their way back from a dance party in Hindko Damaan area on the outskirts of the provincial capital early Sunday morning.

Afsana, a young dancer who used to perform at wedding parties, was returning home along with her dancer sisters Salma and Sana, two other performers Kainat and Musarrat, and her stepfather Azizur Rahman.
The musicians of the band were also following the car in a coach. When the convoy of two vehicles reached Dilazaka Road at around 3am, half a dozen armed men intercepted their car.
According to the police, the armed men were robbers who snatched Rs29,000 and valuables from the dancers and their troupe. In the meanwhile, according to police, the brother of Afsana entered into an argument with the robbers who opened fire on their car.
Young Afsana was shot and injured while other passengers of the car escaped unhurt. The attackers escaped, while the artiste succumbed to her injuries while being shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital.
Afsana hailed from Swat and had settled along with her family in Ramdas Bazaar for quite sometime. She along with her sisters Salma and Sana used to earn livelihood for her family by performing at the wedding functions.
There were reports that Salma had tied the knot in the recent past but later failed to keep her marriage intact and the result was her divorce two months back.
Most of the female dancers and singers from Swat Valley, known for having a large number of female artistes, have migrated to Peshawar and other areas since the law and order situation had worsened in their native district. A known artiste of the valley, Shabana, was killed and her body was hanged in the infamous Khooni Chowk, which has been recently named as Farooq Shaheed Chowk.
Afsana was the second Pashto artiste killed in the jurisdiction of Paharipura police station during the last several months.
Earlier, a budding female Pashto singer and poet, Ayman Udas, was shot dead allegedly by her brothers inside her flat in Koochi Plaza. Three women were also killed in the same plaza in another incident for their alleged involvement in immoral activities.
The brothers of Ayman Udas were said to be unhappy with her second marriage she had contracted after getting divorce from her first husband against the will of her family.