Mohmand in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, and the tribal areas of North and South Waziristan are seeing a notable upsurge in nonviolent protest and public disapproval of the government’s continued military strategy for regional security.
Thousands of people, including political figures, civil society activists, and tribal elders, took part in large-scale demonstrations and sit-ins throughout these districts on Friday to vehemently oppose any additional military operations and warn against more local populations being uprooted.
A large gathering in the Mian Mandi Bazaar (Halimzai tehsil) of Mohmand district witnessed widespread cooperation amongst various political and social groups.
In a joint statement, leaders of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Awami National Party (ANP) criticized the government for failing to bring about enduring peace. In addition to denouncing historical violence, including the recent murder of Maulana Khan Zeb, a well-known supporter of tribal rights, participants underlined a wish for stability.
The collective message of the march focused on the desire of the populace to pay taxes and abide by the law, merely requesting the right to live in peace.
The Utmanzai Jirga Aman Pasoon held a protest in Miramshah, North Waziristan. The community’s general belief that earlier large-scale military operations, like Zarb-i-Azb, had not succeeded in resolving the region’s long-standing problems was expressed by key spokesperson Mufti Baitullah. The jirga made it apparent that the public would oppose any attempts to start new military campaigns.
The release of the elder Malik Akbar Khan, who has been detained for eight months, was one of their main requests, claiming that his release is essential to restoring confidence between the local tribal tribes and the government.
More protests were planned, including one in Dattakhel, where locals are suffering from a prolonged 11-day curfew that drastically limits their everyday lives.
Following fruitful discussions between protest leaders and district officials, an eight-day sit-in at Wana Bypass Chowk in Lower South Waziristan came to an end.
Reopening the vital Angoor Adda border crossing, addressing ongoing law and order issues, and acknowledging tribal ownership rights over local mineral resources were among the outcomes of the meeting.
Saifur Rehman Wazir, president of the region’s Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the economic destruction brought about by the extended closure of Angoor Adda, pointing out that the collapse of local marketplaces and billions of dollars in damages had resulted from the shutdown of commerce.
Tribal populations’ unified, collective desire for rights, peace, and cultural dignity is reflected in these planned, nonviolent protests.
The size and tone of the demonstrations highlight a deep disenchantment with the region’s ongoing armed responses to its problems as well as a growing demand that the state restore and protect their rights, voices, and means of subsistence.
