N Waziristan witnesses 63 target killings

DC says security forces eliminated 105 terrorists in targeted ops this year

MIRANSHAH:

Deputy Commissioner North Waziristan tribal district Shahid Ali Khan has said that this year 63 people have been killed in the targeted attacks in the district.

He said that 105 terrorists and their facilitators have been killed by security forces in different operation while 204 have been arrested too.

Talking to media along with district police officer and commandant Tochi Scouts, he admitted that there was a sharp increase in the incidents of targeted attacks but said that security forces and law enforcement agencies were also doing their best.

“Around 42 soldiers have been martyred during operations against militants and all five target killers involved in the assassination of Qari Samiullah and other youngsters have been arrested by district administration, police and security forces in a joint operation.

“These five militants are being quizzed and their aides will be identified during the course of interrogation,” he said.

The DC said that some terrorist groups want to make the negotiation process a failure and create distance between local residents and the district administration.

DPO Farhan Khan said that not all murders were linked with militancy, adding that out of the 63, around 30 were the result of personal or family feuds.

Protest against targeted attacks

Local tribal elders of Dawar and Wazir Uthmanzai Jirga have decided to use other options after their peaceful protest entered 17th day against lawlessness in the district.

A decision was taken to enforce the plan C under which locals will block eight main entry and exit points in the district.

The decision was taken after several rounds of discussions between tribal elders and administration failed to yield results.

The decision was taken by a 50-member core committee headed by Malik Rabnawaz. Committees were constituted and tasked with blocking different roads across the district. All the committee were sent to their designated locations from Edek.

“We don’t want to make the lives of the general public miserable who are already bearing the brunt of bad law and order situation but we have been left with no other option,” he said.

“Govt has to accept our demand of bringing lasting peace to the area. Nothing less than that is acceptable,” he said, adding that Pakistan-Afghanistan highway at Khajori will be blocked as a protest measure.

Earlier Tochi Scouts and DC held several rounds of negotiations with the protesters and their leaders but nothing came out of it.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2022.