Thousands of people have fled North Waziristan in recent days, fearing a military offensive against militants, locals and officials said.
Panicked residents have hastily left the agency despite officials repeatedly insisting that Pakistan has no immediate plan to launch an offensive in the volatile region, they added.
“Thousands of people have so far left the area, they are fleeing their homes due to the fear and rumours of a military operation,” Saifur Rehman, a government official in the main town of Miramshah, told AFP.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain, information minister for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which borders North Waziristan, told AFP that thousands of people have reached several districts in his area.
Rumours started early this week after a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) told local media that it had received “an exclusive intelligence report” about an offensive in North Waziristan.
In an email sent to media, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said the campaign was to be launched on August 26 and would last one month.
Government and military officials have taken to local radio, asking people to remain calm.
“This is a peaceful area with a peaceful atmosphere. The government has no plan to launch any military operation here,” a radio announcement heard by local residents said.
On Saturday, some 2,000 tribal elders and religious leaders warned the government to not to launch any offensive and threatened to move to Afghanistan “in case of any military operation”.
“We will migrate to Afghanistan, if Pakistan launches any military operation,” Maulvi Abdur Rehman, a religious leader who presided over the tribal Jirga said.
The jirga held in Mirali Town of North Waziristan also requested residents to stay at home. An AFP reporter in the area witnessed people fleeing their homes in vehicles.
‘No information on military operation’
Meanwhile, Tasleem Khan, the Assistant Political Agent (APA) of Miramshah said no information has been released about a military operation in North Waziristan Agency against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Speaking to journalists, Tasleem said security forces would be deployed in the agency only for defence purposes. The assistant political agent insisted that no military operation was possible without informing the tribal people.
“We have told the members of the peace committee to inform the tribesmen that we have not received any information about the operation in the agency,” Tasleem added.
An announcement from the local radio station through a press release said that the tribesmen of the agency were loyal to the country and had offered great support in the establishment of this country. It said that the tribesmen imposed a curfew in the agency only when security forces moved from one place to another, adding that forces have been deployed along the Afghan border to repel any militant attack from Afghanistan.
North Waziristan, one of seven tribal districts riddled with militancy, is considered a stronghold of the Afghan Taliban and al Qaeda operatives. Although Pakistan has fought Taliban militants across much of the region it has so far withstood American pressure to move against the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network in North Waziristan. AFP (WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN MIRAMSHAH)
Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2012.
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They are welcome in India !!
LETS DO THIS!!! Wipe the Taliban out, once and for all!!
are you spokesperson of TTP? you always create panic, whether it be in tribal areas or among minorities...
Issue was not so serious as being portrayed in the media. United States should keep its leg out and submitted all the matter for solution to the other major stake holders such as Pakistan,Afghanistan and Taliban.
The above noted stake holders sit around the negotiating table, and find the solution that is the better solution of the whole existing problems.
But it is impossible,a super power never want its influence to be finished before its safely withdrawal expected in 2014
American interference,through drones diplomacy or other acts creates complications including easing the pressure on the Afghan government for bringing Taliban to the negotiating table.
As international media reported,during the visit of high-ranking military official in the United States it was done regarding the joint army operation in the North Waziristan,so unrest is natural.
Vienna,August 27,2012 In any military operation against network Al Queda Pakistan would be wise to arrange shelters for civilians with all facilities.No weapons should be allowed in the shelters. The ideological assets should be disarmed entirely.Weapons should go to the armed forces and ammunition to ordnance depots. That would mean Pakistan indeed regained de facto and dejure sovereingty on the eastern part of the Durand Lines. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna
It has widely been announced that Pakistan and the United states is going to start a military operation in Waziristan against Huqqani network,vide news conference of American defense secretary not long ago.
Recent fleeing and unrest is the result of that news conference published by the local,national and international media.
American and Afghan government has failed to stop cross border violation being committed in Pakistan ,on the contrary,they have created unrest in Pakistani tribal areas by their unacceptable behave and statements.