This photo shows Bara tribesman, social activists staging sit-in outside Governor House in Peshawar along with bodies of the deceased. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD IQBAL/THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE
A delegation of Bara tribal elders were invited in to talk over terms for ending the protest and burying the dead.
The negotiations were reportedly successful, with the governor assuring the tribesmen that those innocent men of Bara in custody will be released, the victims given Rs0.4 million each and a commission formed to probe the murders.
However, late at night, when the delegation of elders returned to the gathered protesters with the demands agreed to, the protesters balked and vowed to continue their sit-in till the government ends an operation in the tribal area.
Soon after, police arrived and forced the protesters to disperse. Officers fired tear gas and loaded the caskets into trucks and shifted them to a morgue.
Earlier tribesmen gathered outside governor house in Peshawar to protest against killing of their people whose mutilated bodies were recovered from the Bara area of Khyber Agency on Tuesday evening.
The bullet-riddled bodies were found in the Alam Gudar area. The bodies of a woman and two children killed in the incident were not brought to the sit-in.
Reporters and media personnel present on the protest site estimated that around 5,000 people took part in the sit-in on Sher Shah Suri Road, right in front of Governor House.
Bara tribesmen stage sit-in outside Governor House. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD IQBAL/THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE
The protesters, including family members of the deceased and social activists, chanted slogans against the army and the security agencies stationed in Khyber Agency and blamed them for the killings.
The tribesmen from Bara said that the people killed were not militants but ordinary citizens, who they said were murdered in cold blood by the security agencies.
Express News reported that a scuffle broke out as Senator Hameedullah Jan Afridi attempted to address the sit-in.
The mob attacked the senator by hurling stones and shoes at him. Soon after, a supporter who was accompanying Afridi fired in the air to disperse the mob and the senator was escorted to his car to escape the clash.
The protestors said that they had not seen the senator, who hails from the Bara region, for almost four and a half years. They said that Afridi resided peacefully in Islamabad, while the situation in Bara worsened over the years.
A 12-member delegation has been constituted to negotiate with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s governor. The committee will put forth the demands of the protestors, including ending military offensive in Bara and compensating the heirs.
Correction: An earlier version of the article incorrectly stated that there were 18 bodies at the sit-in instead of 15.
COMMENTS (49)
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our army can do more than what we expect.
@Fazal Ur Rehman: Shame on you
@Husnain: Do you know Pakistan has given them nothing that's why they can't pay taxes and bills and do you know that these tribal freed Kashmir with those guns and do you know they are carrying those guns and weapons for centuries. Or may be you are ignorant enough to see these facts
@Shaami Lahori: Shame on you for being such an ignorant and defending army just because its your army while knowing nothing about the tribal area but from books.You don't know how brutally they are killing our people.The only shameless army in the world who forces people to protect their bases is Pakistani Army otherwise everybody knows army is to protect the people.Shame shame for being so proud of killing our innocent tribal people.
You can see the miles long graveyard of unknown persons near Hakimullah Mesud House near Charsadda... Govt has has done nothing to control the gun culture in the tribal areas.
@Jamal: Army is being blamed for everything.
To begin with let all army Generals retire in grace at the time of their superannuation. Why General Kayani needs extension in service? Is there a shortage of talent in Pak army.these people i.s.i pakistani aramey is killing pashtuns. and the pashtuns a divided doing nathing about it . everyday 40 50 pashtuns has bean killed in afghanistan or pakistan. we pashtuns need to wake up
@janaan: I deduced it from the hundreds of mutilated corpses dumped in Gunny bags,in and around Peshawar and Nowshera in the last year. And the close to 1000 missing after being picked up in sweeps. There is an ongoing Suo motu case in PHC if you are interested. Its in the papers you just have to look for it.
@Shahzad: Mr. enlightened and educated, I did not speak of any conspiracy theory. I have eyes to see what happens around me. It's a fact and reported a thousand times in media for the last five year. If you have balls to go to that area, just go there and you won't need any proof of what I said. @tariq khan: It was the government that sent the Pakistan army into the tribal areas in violation of the constitution and now you want me to control law and order there when the mice has turned into a monster.
its very sad for humanity Govt should take immediate action against killers who turned this country into a war turned one, those who love peace should a chance to maintain peace at any cost, govt should listen to them ,,,,,,,,,,,,, needs crack down on Taliban and other killers band organizations like LeJ SSP, JM , etc
May Allah bless them all. The issue with these tribesmen is that the there is no court, let alone Supreme Court to appeal to in their area, thanks to the FCR and the system operative in the tribal belt. The other issue with the peaceful residents of tribal areas is that they can not side with any party as siding with a particular 'party' is tantamount to inviting the wrath of the other 'party'. May Allah help them.
@hate speech: Just visit South Punjab and You will see Many Tribal Regions in Punjab too. Even in North Punjab in Mianwali and Adjacent Regions still tribal system is prevalent for your kind information among Awans and Niazis. Living in Lahore does not mean that you dont know what is going on around Pakistan and also I was not born in Lahore for your information. I am Awan by Caste and My Mother is a Baloch and just visit Leghari regions of South Punjab to understand that no one can dare to anything in Leghari and Baloch South Punjab regions unless they will approve that.
@Javed Afridi Brother first of all i feel sorry for any Loss of life of any human being. But Again I will emphasize that i am much familiar with the Tribal System.Brother All I am stressing that Tribes are strong enough to protect their land against any Foreign hoodlums and they can easily root them out without Blaming anyone. In Tribal regions around Pakistan we know Every house carry a weapon and they are pretty much organized Under the Malik system and no one can dare to come into their regions without their approval. I cannot even believe that some people would just come in and tribals would not notice them or will not drive them out. The people of Karachi, Lahore, Central Punab who had never experienced the Tribal Culture will not understand this point at all.
Also I am giving you a Guarantee that as long as In North West and South Punjab in tribal zones people will not allow any Taliban to creep in they cannot dare to come in this land. Even In Mianwali region I can assure you that as long as Local Niazis and Awans will not allow Any Taliban they cannot even dare to come in these regions.
@Tch tch: in security agencies kill and dump policies. where did you get this line from, INDIA or TALIBAN.
the victim families negotiated with government and decided to take Rs 0.4 million and end their protest......
nationalists and army lovers will find an excuse for army even if kiyani himself accepts on national television that he has had a hand in drone strikes and army is complicit with CIA in it.
pathetic...get out of this subjectivity.
was someone above blaming the tribesmen? and that guy who said that the tribesmen should have also protested killing of 17 security forces recently: did you tell those shias in hazara they should have also protested killing of all the FC personnel killed there?
ANYTHING to take blame off army - anything!
Dr Qadri marches, Army to be blamed, Army takes over the country the Army is to be blamed, Army does not takes over the goverement still they are to be blamed,Terrorists kill innocent people still Army to be blamed.I ask one question from people, when dozens of soldiers are killed each day, when they are beheaded while their vidoes are made viral, when they capture terrorists and take them to courts and courts free them because lack of evidence and the same guy turns back and kills a dozen more then who is to be blamed?Arnt these soldiers sons,husbands,Fathers and humans?Bara people protests of these killings which is surely done by terrorists but when did they protest against killings and beheading of soldiers?Never.Peopel please talk some sense and support the just cause.I ask one thing from peopel of Bara.When you are selling hashish, heroine,liquor and fake currency notes then where is your conscience?we want answers to that too.
:(
A brave journalist who asked NAWAZ/JI/JUI/PkMAP massacre in Alamdar Road and in Bara couldn't bring you together but Tahir Ul Qadri did?
Javed Afridi: You have a perfect conspiracy theorist mind. I have one neigbour here who too co incidently is afridi, wasted my 2 hours trying to convince me that it was the army which was controlling people to attack its own soldiers. Allama sahib was trying to impress me with his intellect and it couldn't get funnier knowing the fact that Mr. Afridi couldn't even pass his matriculation examinations. Irony.
@Aftab: sham on you for saying this aftab they were got out of their houses during carfew and shot them in front of their houses 8 people were belong from the same faimly including childerns and three from other and so on... So don't blame some one if you did'nt know the thruth
@Javed Afridi Why only blaming Army I also puktoon from the same region did your tribe come out against Mangal bagh and other millitant outfits why there is no curfew in landi kotal or other peace full tribal areas as you sow so shall you reap
This will continue as long as FATA is treated as a colony and not as part of the country.
Lashker e Islam gunmen killed supporters of lashker e Ansar. Both are banned outfits. Rest every thing is politics. May be Talibans are part of this protest to defame Pak Army.
FATA is not part of KP nor do their people want to be part of them. So why protest there.They should protest in Islamabad under which they fall directly
@Something Clever: Tribal areas development budget is close to nil. Have a look at the numbers before pontificating. There have been almost no investments from the government in 65 yrs. Tribal like other human being would appreciate not being shelled and having their relatives kidnapped and their bodies dumped. They would appreciate not having entire families thrown into dungeons under FCR collective punishment clauses. And we are talking about 15 in a family killed at night including teenagers and a mentally handicapped person. But go on, your lecture is much appreciated.
@Zeeshan Khan: lol
@Shaami Lahori, your very name suggest that your family belongs to tribal.......
Hypocrite #TVMedia is silent over this incident, coz showing it isn't worth their ratings hike. Shame!
@ Shami Lahori ahd Javed Afridi
The bloodshed of innocent people,Army officers and Jawans and security officials in FATA and Settled districts of the country will continue till such time the leadership of the political parties continue the Ostrich Policy of burying their heads in sand and either deliberately remain oblivious of the growing monster of militant outfits or harbor soft corner for them. It was reported in the print media the other day that the militant outfit, Lashkar-e Islam of Khyber Agency has warned the tribesmen to either provide more volunteers for their Lashkar or face dire consequences. If the army is looking up to the civilian leadership for a clear cut policy to eradicate the menace of militancy and marching order from the Supreme Commander President Zardari then why its head bashing is carried on without looking at the ground realities.
Till when civilian govts have to clean the mess created by Holy Army?
18 innocent people have been killed by the militants of Lashkar e Islam who were wearing the uniform of security forces.
People of Pakistan are the strength of Security Forces and they never kill innocent people, we all should have faith on this and should not buy the propaganda of militants who are playing in the hands of anti pakistan agencies.
poor pakistanis blame west for stereotyping pakistanis and here doing the same thing, painting all tribesmen as Taliban, hypocrites.
the govt and army officials should identify the bodies and tell us which one of them was a terrorist. i bet they don't even know their names
Lol.... Protesters have demanded to End operation in Bara. The result will be, Taliban will reunite and kill thousands of Pakistanis again. Now I don't think they were Citizens......
@Something Clever Can't agree with you more!
First of all My Condolences for the All the Dead and May Their Soul Rest in Heaven. But i want to add that as pointed out in one of the comments that we should see that our criticism of Army is due or not?. Pakistan Army Men are human beings like you and me and they are not devils just to get some people and kill them for fun. Secondly also rightly pointed out above that those people familiar with the Tribal Systems are well aware of the fact that without local Collusion no one can operate from their regions and if Taliban are operating from some Regions then we we should ask Local tribesmen that why this is so. Near my region of Attock Punjab still there is a tribal system stretching even upto South Punjab in Baloch tribal belt and I am sure Taliban will never come into these regions because Local People are vigilant to point out any hoodlums and root them out when Necessary.
So the situation on the ground is pretty complex in this region and blaming one party solely as the trouble maker is absolutely stupid and does not hold ground as well.
Tragic though it may be, it's hard to not start noticing the tribesmen only acknowledge the rest of Pakistan when they want something or feel the need to complain about something. You even basically have to bribe them with free and costly developmental projects for them to fulfill even the smallest requests half heartedly with "half" giving them more credit than they actually deserve. Yeah, naturally such a thing as this would trigger something similar from most people. It's just overshadowed some by the fact that it amounts to an underdeveloped and isolated Island culture believing the rest of the world owes them but reacts with hostility if the world even accidentally sticks their nose in their business. Even if the situation is reversed like people wanting them to do something about the people that killed the family members of other people caused by the people they harbor. I'm sure they even make it a point to ignore the fact that their family members were put in harms way because of that as well. Only their lives and well being matter.
no one protested when 2 days ago 17 army personals were killed in waziristan, no one protested when 20 security personals were kiddnaped and killed in FR Peshawar, They shouted for help but the people close their doors,eys and ears and no one helped them,,and know they are protesting against Army without any proof???
I dont think our army can do such things
@Shaami Lahori: Yes, we know exactly what happened and what is happening in Khyber Agency since last five years. It's easier for people like you, who never bother to look beyond their self, to sit in their drawing rooms and draw conclusions of their choice. The area in question is under curfew for the last five years but only for the ordinary tribesmen. Militants can move freely and even provide escorts to high officials of the FC posted there. @Supersequel: If you choose to keep a regular army and militants at the same note, than I pity your mentality. Shame on you.
@Patriot: Did you know what happened or just it is too easy to blame the Army.?? Do you know in this week alone more than 16 Dead Bodies of Soldiers have arrived in Punjab alone. Last night my all relatives were on a burial of one Dead Soldier in Mianwali . Calling Our Army Terrorists is the insult to their blood. Our Military men are braving the cold and the terrorists and they are being killed as well and it is easy to bash them from your Cosy Homes. If all Innocents are living there then who killed more than 20 Soldiers in this month alone????
Why not a sit in against the Taliban? Why no human rights commission against their brutalities? This is such bullocks.
Army protecting the terrorists and killing innocent citizens,
I hope Army and security agencies are not repeating the blunders they committed in 1971 in Bangladesh!
Did we learn a lesson of penny from the brutal army action against people of Bangladesh in 1971 humiliation?
http://bit.ly/fqc9YP
500 corpses dumped in an around Peshawar in last 6 months in security agencies Kill and dump operation. 1000 ppl missing in sweeps.Media and political parties refuse to address it. Why?
I am happy to see people from all walks in India and Pak coming out on the streets for their reasons. It means more and more ( from all walks of life ) are getting aware instead of suffering in silence .
The tribesmen from Bara said that the people killed were not militants but ordinary citizens, who they said were murdered in cold blood by the security agencies.
Everybody is Innocent in this Country except the Armed Forces of Pakistan. What evidence they have that Army killed them?? There should be a limit to the bashing of Army. We know many factions of Taliban are even fighting among themselves for the control of Power. Blaming Army for everything should not be a Modus Operandi in every case. Wazir Tribes are directly Supporting Taliban and why Wazir Tribes dont want to eliminate Taiban from their own regions. I know the Tribal Culture very well as My region from where my Family belong is Tribal and believe me Tribesmen even know when a Cat or a Dog crosses their region and they have authority to took control of their land without blaming others.
Pakistan: A country where blood is cheapter than water.
Tribesmen shouldnt budge till media provides full coverage. God help them