Shahid Khan
North Waziristan tribesmen who are staging a sit-in the Eidak area of the district since July 17 have announced to extend their protest in the next phase.
Malik Rab Nawaz, a local jirga head said that in the next phase, the tribesmen will shut down roads on at least eight places.
He said that local tribesmen will close down road near Khajori Gate while tribesmen of the Spinwam and Shewa will block roads at the Spinwam Chowk and Toda Cheena areas.
Similarly, Madakhel and Manzarkhel tribesmen will block roads at Muhammad Khel area while Miran Shah, Darpakhel and Saidigi tribesmen will shut down roads at Ghulam Khan Road. Similarly, Khasukhel, Moski and Api and Haiderkhel tribesmen will shut down roads Dwa Sarak area, other tribesmen at Eidak and Razmak Roads.
Protesters’ demands
The protest of the Utmanzai tribesmen of the North Waziristan district is in its third week and large numbers of tribesmen are attending the protest.
The tribesmen are demanding restoration of peace in the area.
MPA from the North Waziristan Mir Kalam Wazir raised this issue at the floor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly the other day. Mr Kalam said that the tribesmen were on the streets for past two weeks, boycotting government offices and other affairs.
However, he said that KP government has not established any connection with the protesting tribesmen.
Targeted killings of 480 people in four years
Mr Wazir said that since 2018, about 480 people have fallen prey to the targeted killings in the district; however, perpetrators of even single incidents have not been arrested.
He said that when displaced people returned to their homes after government announced restoration of peace, targeted killings have disturbed the area peace.
Mr Wazir said that area people faced with uncertainty and thinking of relocating to other areas due to lawlessness.
Besides, he said that the due to closure of trade with Afghanistan, the businesses of the area were also in decline.
Mr Wazir said that the tribesmen were also protesting that they should be provided gas on priority basis from recently discovered reserves of natural gas.
However, he said that while authorities were laying down pipelines to supply this gas to other areas, there seemed to little enthusiasm regarding providing the same to the local tribesmen.
Besides, he said that the tribesmen were also demanding the promises the authorities made with the affectees of the Operation Zarb-e-Azb.
He also said that custom levies should not impose on Pak-Afghan trade done through the Ghulam Khan border crossing.
On the other hand, Iqbal Wazir, KP cabinet member from the North Waziristan said that peace in the district has been restored.
He said that record number of development works has been started in the district after the merger.
However, Mr Iqbal declared the area’s peace as exemplary and did not comment on targeted killings.
Targeted killings in 2022
On the other hand, Deputy Commissioner North Waziristan said that 63 incidents of targeted killings and murders took place in the district during the current year.
He said that 105 targeted killers and terrorists were eliminated in operations while 2014 others were arrested.
Addressing a press conference in Miran Shah, he acknowledged that targeted killings incidents have gone up in the district.
He said that 42 security personnel also lost their lives in maintaining law and order in the district.
DC said that they have arrested five targeted killers involved in the killing of JUIF leader Qari Samiuddin and other youths. He said that they were also involved in other incidents of violence as well.
“These elements wanted to sabotage the ongoing peace process as well as create differences between government and public,” the DC said.
On the other hand, DPO North Waziristan Farhan Khan said that 30 of the 63 incidents took place due to the enmities while four others were honor killings.
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