Utmanzai tribes warn of civil disobedience over curfew in North Waziristan

Thousands of people, belonging to the Utmanzai tribes, staged a large peace march in Mir Ali in North Waziristan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, warning that they would launch civil disobedience if concrete measures were not taken by January 20 to restore peace, lift the curfew, and reopen the Ghulam Khan border.

The gathering was held at Noor Islam Shaheed Chowk, where participants also offered Friday prayers, led by Member of the National Assembly Mufti Misbahuddin. Speakers said peace was a fundamental right and demanded that residents of North Waziristan be allowed to live like citizens in other parts of the country.

Utmanzai elders declared that despite repeated appeals, the region continued to face instability, restrictions on movement, and economic hardship. They warned that failure to meet their demands would force them to announce civil disobedience and block internal and external routes.

Addressing the crowd, Pashtun Tahafuz Movement leader Dr Hayat said peace had prevailed after Operation Zarb-e-Azb but questioned how militants were now able to infiltrate mosques despite heavy security. He said the public was being unfairly blamed while the state continued to treat the region with neglect.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Malik Inshaullah said policies had been tested on Waziristan for the past 23 years, marked by a clear contradiction between state claims and ground realities. Maulana Misbahullah, son of late Maulana Muhammad Deendar, said that despite cooperation with the state, seriousness in restoring stability was lacking.

MNA Mufti Misbahuddin said Waziristan could not endure further military operations, warning that such actions would only deepen resentment among the local population.

Chief of Waziristan Malik Nasrullah said every child of the region was yearning for peace. He demanded compensation for damaged shops, an end to the torture of innocent people, and immediate return of confiscated non-custom-paid vehicles. He also opposed the inclusion of tribal elders in Schedule IV, calling for the removal of restrictions so they could move freely.

Participants demanded the empowerment of police and the transfer of all check-posts to civilian control, while urging security forces to focus on border security. They also appealed to militants to stay away from populated areas and do not use homes, shops, or hospitals as bunkers.

The rally called for the immediate release of missing persons, including Malik Akbar Khan, and demanded that they be produced before police. Elders stressed the urgent reopening of the Ghulam Khan border with Afghanistan, saying nearly 20,000 people depended on cross-border trade for their livelihoods.

Other demands included lifting restrictions on development projects, ending discriminatory treatment, restoring blocked passports and identity cards, and taking notice of rising cancer cases by activating health facilities. In a unanimous warning, the elders said civil disobedience and a social boycott would begin after January 20 if their demands were ignored.