Man Killed Following Removal from WhatsApp Group

A man in Peshawar was fatally shot after he removed another individual from a WhatsApp group, according to police reports.

On Thursday evening, Mushtaq Ahmed was shot dead in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province adjacent to Afghanistan that has experienced numerous incidents of sectarian violence.

Police documents reviewed by AFP and a local police official indicate that a man named Ashfaq has been charged with the murder of Mushtaq.

The incident is said to have originated from a disagreement in a WhatsApp group. According to a statement from Mushtaq’s brother that was viewed by AFP, Mushtaq reportedly expelled Ashfaq from the group after a disagreement.

Both men had planned to meet and resolve their differences, but Mushtaq’s brother claims that Ashfaq came armed and fired shots, resulting in Mushtaq’s death.

Ashfaq was reportedly driven by anger “in response to being removed from the WhatsApp group,” the statement noted.

The presence of firearms, the impact of tribal traditions, and at times insufficient law enforcement are thought to play a role in the occurrence of violent incidents in the area.