Abductions highlight growing friction between digital expression and tribal traditions in North Waziristan
Zafran Wazir after his recovery from TTP captivity. PHOTO: EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
A North Waziristan school teacher has been found safe after being kidnapped by gunmen, days after he shared a viral video of a young girl playing cricket that sparked both admiration and controversy.
Zafran Wazir, a teacher at a private school and college in the Shawa region, is known for encouraging his students, community members and social activists. He recorded and shared a video of Aina Wazir, a young orphan, playing cricket with boys in a community described as “swimming against all odds.”
North Waziristan’s young bowling sensation Aina Wazir has taken social media by storm, earning a place in the upcoming Zalmi Women’s League after catching the attention of Javed Afridi. The owner of Peshawar Zalmi has pledged his full support and professional equipment to nurture this raw talent,… pic.twitter.com/6dN0XOEFId
– Express News (@ExpressNewsPK) February 19, 2026
The short clip quickly gained traction on mainstream and social media platforms. It showed the girl confidently throwing fastballs during a local cricket match, sparking widespread praise online for her skill and wit.
Aina Wazir took social media by storm and earned a place in the upcoming Zalmi Women’s League after catching the eye of Javed Afridi. Peshawar owner Zalmi pledged his full support and professional equipment to nurture what he described as raw talent.
However, Aina Wazir’s videos also sparked backlash among some of her peers and fueled controversy over the role of women in society. As Afridi announced plans to take it on board, a local Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander reportedly called the development a threat to dominant tribal traditions, setting off a chain of events that sparked debate in the region.
Soon after a second video of Aina Wazir went viral, Zafran Wazir was kidnapped. District police confirmed that he was taken away by armed men.
Read: Gunmen hijack DC vehicle in Kharan
According to local police, “Zafran Wazir was kidnapped in the Shewa area of North Waziristan and allegedly subjected to torture. During his captivity, a video surfaced on social media showing him calling the sharing of the clip a ‘mistake’ and stating that he was in the custody of unidentified individuals.”
The kidnappers reportedly claimed that filming and sharing the video of the girl was against Islamic values and Pashtun cultural traditions.
The incident sparked anxiety among residents, many of whom expressed concern over growing tensions over social media use and community sensitivities.
Learn more: PHC orders responses following ‘disappearances’ in Peshawar and Mardan
Thanks to the efforts of a local jirga and religious scholars, authorities later confirmed that Zafran was found safe and reunited with his family.
District police officer Sajjad Hussain said the young man returned home unharmed. The locals welcomed him warmly and placed garlands around his neck as a sign of solidarity. Videos of his reception circulated widely online.
The episode reignited larger questions within the community: Can a young girl pursue her interest in cricket without controversy? Does recording and sharing such moments violate religious or cultural norms? And how to navigate social media in a conservative context?
Aina Wazir’s bowling story has evolved from being a symbol of youthful passion to becoming a flashpoint in a broader conversation about tradition, modernity and the evolving role of digital media in tribal society.
