A sit-in outside the Frontier Corps ‘qila’ in Tayrza in South Waziristan has ended on its fourth day Wednesday after a detained goatherd’s family were informed he had died by suicide while in custody.

Three men were picked up May 15. Two of them were released but the family of one man, Gul Wali, 45, was informed that he had died by suicide.

جنوبی وزیرستان تحصیل تيارزه خيسوره کښې د سکيورټي فورسز په حراست کښې شهيد شوي ګل ولي ته د انصاف لپاره د تيارزہ ايف سي قلعه مخي ته دري ورځو راهسي لاریون دوام لري۔
د ملک په نورو برخو کې د لاهور د تخت لپاره مبارزه روانه ده، په داسې حال کې چې د پښتونخوا په قبایلي ضلعو کې خلک د عزت،… pic.twitter.com/3W1cxTQ4Se

— National Democratic Movement (@NDM_Official) May 23, 2023

Gul Wali’s brother Haji Bobrai told Aaj News that Gul Wali was picked up with Moosa and Fazal Amin from Chag Raghzai Khaisoora. One of them was released, and another was handed over to the police.

It was not clear how a suicide were possible as their hands were tied the entire time they were detained, one of the men said. The post mortem, however, declared the death by suicide.

The family refused to accept the body and started a sit-in protest. By Wednesday, said Haji Bobrai, we ended talks, took the body and will hold the funeral today. Gul Wali earned his living from his goats. Aaj News was unable to immediately acquire a photo of the victim as there was patchy mobile phone internet in the area.

The sit-in has ended, I am told, outside the FC qila. Updating the story from South Waziristan. pic.twitter.com/DNOMq9BLmf

— Mahim Maher (@MahimMaher) May 24, 2023

The family had entered into talks with the authorities to press for compensation. Village elders and the district administration reached the agreement of Rs2 million in compensation and financial responsibility for the education of the children. Moosa has been released as well. The tribal tradition of nanawatay was performed in which the district administration took six sheep to the family. (Crudely put, nanawatay is a way of confessing an offence. It is then up to the family to accept the sheep, slaughter them or say they do not want them.)

DPO Shabbir Hussain told Aaj News that the detained man died by suicide while in custody. The post mortem had confirmed this. But he added, that they were still investigating.

Men are often picked up in this area over suspicion of having fraternised with Taliban men. Sometimes they are taken in for questioning for intel-gathering.