Thousands protest lawlessness in K-P

Tribespeople demand immediate end to terrorism, extortion

MIRANSHAH:

Thousands took to the streets after becoming fed up the lawlessness, targeted attacks and extortion in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa district of South Waziristan. A similar number of people also took to the streets of Bajaur to protest against the same menances.

A rally was organised in Wana, the capital of South Waziristan Lower under the Muttahida Siasi Aman Pasawoon.

Thousands of people including tribal elders, leaders and workers of political parties, as well as local residents participated in the rally.

Luqman Khan, Asad Bahir, Farmanullah, Khayal Mohammad, Abdul Rehman Ganga, Amanullah, Kashif Khan, Maulana Abdulla Nadeem, former MNA Ali Wazir, MNA Zubair Khan and Ayaz Wazir addressed the rally.

They said that the establishment of peace was the responsibility of the state. Therefore, state institutions should fulfill their responsibilities, they asserted.

“Targeted attacks, extortion, and the worsening law and order situation have once against proven that state institutions have either failed to perform their duty completely or are supporting those who are creating a law and order situation,” one of the speakers emphasised.

The speakers stressed that the state institutions should correct their approach, and fulfill their responsibilities within the framework of the country’s Constitution and laws.

The leaders said they are peaceful people who did not believe in violence. They continued that gathered masses have shown that they desire peace in the district and demand that government departments to work to this end.

The tribal leaders warned that if institutions were unable to remove hurdles in the way of peace, the general public would be forced to think for the next step.

In the end, Maulana Naik Muhammad presented a 14-point resolution. The main points of were to pinpoint that maintaining peace, law and order was the responsibility of the state. The document added that no group, committee or militant organisation was acceptable in the name of peace.

They also expressed their strong opposition to Operation Azm-e-Istehkam in Waziristan. “Culprits responsible for the attack on Maulana Mirzajan and Maulana Deen Saeed must be arrested as soon as possible and brought to justice,” the resolution demanded.

It also urged authorities to interfering with the civil administration and restrain the police from taking illegal or unconstitutional actions.

“To ensure the safety of the people and civil servants of South Waziristan Lower District, economic curbs against should be lifted. The Angoradah border crossing should be opened immediately for all kinds of trade as livelihood of locals depend on it.” The tribal leaders demanded that vehicles with tinted windows must be banned, as should be the case with drugs and all types of weapons.

It may be recalled that Muttahidah Siyasi Aman Pasawoon held a press conference on 22 July and announced a rally, including a strike on July 26, against recent bomb blasts, target killing and extortion.

Bajaur protest

In the Mamond area of Bajaur tribal district, thousands protested against the deteriorating law and order situation in the area.

They demanded an end to lawlessness.