Demonstration: Tribesmen, students of North Waziristan demand to ease curfew

Protesters say the curfew should be relaxed so that those stranded could move to safer locations.

PESHAWAR:

Students and tribesmen of North Waziristan demanded the authorities to ease the curfew imposed in the agency on Friday.

During a demonstration on Sher Shah Suri Road near the Peshawar Press Club, protesters said residents were suffering from clashes between the militants and the security forces in the agency. They asked for relaxing the curfew so that those stranded could move to safer locations.



Protesters were led by tribal elders, Malik Riaz and Malik Akbar Khan, along with Waziristan Students Society President Hashim Khan and General Secretary Tahir Dawar. They carried placards and called for peace in the agency.

Riaz told journalists the curfew was imposed on Thursday night in the agency and had left a large number of residents stranded. “Their hardships have been compounded by power shortages, sluggish gas supply and scarcity of food items,” he said. The tribal elder claimed that the clashes between security forces and militants had resulted in collateral damage and loss of property.



Protesters also condemned US drones strikes in the tribal areas. They stated that the use of force was not the solution and urged the government to negotiate with the Taliban.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2013.