Militants abduct citizen journalist after filming Aina Wazir bowling

ISLAMABAD: A citizen journalist from North Waziristan was allegedly abducted and forced to apologise after filming a seven-year-old girl playing cricket in her village, an incident that has sparked outrage on social media and renewed debate over girls’ rights in conflict-hit areas.

Zafran Wazir, a school principal who recorded the video of young Aina Wazir playing cricket with boys in Sheega Zalokhel village of Tehsil Sheewa, was reportedly picked up by local militants who objected to the clip.

The Militants group allegedly termed girls playing cricket against Islamic values and Pashtun traditions.

A video later surfaced on Zafran’s Facebook page showing him seated on the floor inside a room, apologising for making and sharing the clip.

In the video, he says he did not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiments and would refrain from uploading similar content in the future.

He was later released, though images circulating online showed visible bruises on his face, suggesting he may have been subjected to violence during captivity.

The controversy erupted after the video of Aina bowling on a dusty village ground went viral over the past two days. The clip, filmed by Zafran, showed her confidently playing alongside boys, drawing widespread praise for her bowling action.

Mohsin Dawar, Chairman of the National Democratic Movement and former MNA from the district, shared the video on X, criticising the security situation in the region.

The video also caught the attention of Javed Afridi, Chairman of Peshawar Zalmi, who announced that Aina would be included in the upcoming Zalmi Women League. He assured that she would be provided cricket equipment and facilities and requested her contact details via social media.

Prominent Pakistani squash player Maria Toorpakai Wazir, who also hails from Waziristan, condemned the abduction, stating that Zafran was targeted for giving hope to girls across the Pakhtun belt. “But we will not be silenced. Proud to be from Waziristan. Proud to keep fighting so every girl is free to play,” she wrote.

Aina’s uncle, Manzoor, said the girl developed an interest in cricket at the age of three when her late father would take her to local tape-ball tournaments. He said she now leads her own five-member team in the village and has won three small trophies.

“She is good at both bowling and batting, but bowling is her strongest skill,” he said, adding that some social media users compared her bowling action to that of former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn.

Manzoor said Aina walks nearly three kilometres daily to attend the only girls’ school in the area. After returning home and attending religious classes, she practises cricket around dusk. He added that she is unaware that women also play cricket internationally and follows men’s cricket only. Her favourite bowler is Naseem Shah, while she admires Babar Azam as a batsman.

North Waziristan has witnessed frequent security incidents in recent years, including militant activity and drone attacks, with night-time curfews often imposed.

According to official figures, female literacy in the district stands at around 18 per cent compared with approximately 47 per cent for males, reflecting a stark gender gap.

Despite the controversy, Aina expressed a simple wish: better educational facilities. “I want the government to build a good school for us because we don’t have one. I want to get a good education and support my family,” she said.