Demonstration: Tribesmen protest against US drone strikes in tribal areas
Hundreds of people, including students, participated in the rally.
If drone strikes do not stop, we will go to Islamabad to set up a protest camp in front of the Parliament House, says protester.
DERA ISMAIL KHAN:
Tribesmen in South Waziristan held a protest on Sunday against US drone strikes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
Hundreds of people, including students of Government Degree College (GDC) Wana, participated in the rally which was led by Madhu Jan Gohar Wazir, an elder of the Ahmadzai tribe. It passed through the streets of Wana Rustam Bazaar and culminated at Shah Alam market.
The participants were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the recurring US strikes in the tribal areas.
“Today we are holding a peaceful protest here, but if drone strikes do not stop, we will go to Islamabad to set up a protest camp in front of the Parliament House. We will also bring the issue to the Supreme Court’s notice,” Wazir said.
“Tribal people are Pakistanis too and the rulers in Islamabad should protect innocent citizens from these attacks,” he stated.
President GDC students union, Jalal Wazir in his address said. “We do not want roads, schools or other developments, we only want the drone attacks to stop.”
On Saturday, pamphlets in Urdu were distributed in Wana Rustam Bazaar and other parts of the subdivision informing people that a peaceful rally will be held in the bazaar and encouraging them to participate.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 4th, 2013.
Tribesmen in South Waziristan held a protest on Sunday against US drone strikes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
Hundreds of people, including students of Government Degree College (GDC) Wana, participated in the rally which was led by Madhu Jan Gohar Wazir, an elder of the Ahmadzai tribe. It passed through the streets of Wana Rustam Bazaar and culminated at Shah Alam market.
The participants were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the recurring US strikes in the tribal areas.
“Today we are holding a peaceful protest here, but if drone strikes do not stop, we will go to Islamabad to set up a protest camp in front of the Parliament House. We will also bring the issue to the Supreme Court’s notice,” Wazir said.
“Tribal people are Pakistanis too and the rulers in Islamabad should protect innocent citizens from these attacks,” he stated.
President GDC students union, Jalal Wazir in his address said. “We do not want roads, schools or other developments, we only want the drone attacks to stop.”
On Saturday, pamphlets in Urdu were distributed in Wana Rustam Bazaar and other parts of the subdivision informing people that a peaceful rally will be held in the bazaar and encouraging them to participate.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 4th, 2013.