Tirah tragedy

The shooting down of protesters allegedly by the security forces in Tirah's Zakhakhel valley is condemnable and necessitates some deep introspection. At the same time, it is questionable as to why civilians should stride into garrison enclaves, inciting fear of the unknown for the security forces at times when terrorist incursions are the order of the day. Seven people were killed and 16 injured after a demonstration apparently went wild as they were protesting the killing of a girl in a mortar attack a day earlier.

The assembling of people outside the Brigade Headquarters in Bagh-Maidan Markaz on Sunday and the off-the-cuff reaction of forces must solicit a probe so that such unfortunate incidents are avoided in future. The skirmishes underway between the armed forces and non-state actors has been a bone of contention for long, and locals are of the view that military operation is no solution as it leads to bloodshed and mass-scale displacements.

The local administration, nonetheless, cannot absolve itself of responsibility and by virtue of jurisdiction, it was its prime responsibility to go for mob management. Likewise, the tendency of trigger-happiness, as is evident from some previous incidents too, is disgusting and calls for invoking the protocol that is there for security forces even in adversity and exigency.

The fact that the people turned violent on troops guarding their fiefdom and youngsters went over the brink by ignoring calls by local elders to remain calm makes it a case of vandalism and sheer irresponsibility on the part of civilians. The reported torching of an excavator and then gate-crashing the Brigade Headquarters is tantamount to terrorism.

It is time the state, the government and the people at large converged on the point that peaceful agitation and freedom of expression is an inviolable right guaranteed under the Constitution, and the same should stay within lawful limits. Pakistan is passing through a tough time as it fights faceless terrorism, and all it needs is a semblance of cooperation among the people and with the state.