Pashtun groups condemn military crackdown and firing in North Waziristan

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan] August 12 : The Pashtun National Jirga has sounded the alarm over a new wave of oppression, arrests, and violence directed at peaceful activists, accusing the Pakistani government and military of specifically targeting the Pashtun community under the pretext of security operations.

Numerous human rights and anti-war activists have been detained or have gone missing following the peace demonstrations organised by the Pashtun National Jirga. According to a post shared by the group on X, the majority of those detained have been unjustly arrested under the infamous colonial-era ordinance 3MPO, while the PTM Peshawar coordinator, Bilal Orakzai, has disappeared without being brought before any judicial authority.

The Jirga raised concerns about the treatment of an innocent individual like Orakzai in Pakistan and questioned the lack of action from the PTI-led provincial administration regarding his situation. They criticised the provincial government, asserting that the subjugation of peaceful individuals signifies that "all authority is dictated by the army," and that "the entire state apparatus is devoted to serving the army generals, not the populace, particularly not the Pashtun community."

https://x.com/PashtunNJirga/status/1954089906516435062

In another update on X, the Pashtun National Jirga reported that gunfire erupted from the Mir Ali military camp towards Ikam Khel village at 1 a.m. last night without any provocation. During this incident, a 12-year-old boy was shot in the head and is currently in the hospital in critical condition, fighting for his life.

The group has demanded accountability from the authorities, posing the question: "What offence did this innocent and faultless child commit?" The Jirga characterised the shooting as more than just an isolated event but "another instance of the persistent assault on the Pashtun nation." Up to this point, no official explanation has been released concerning the gunfire.

https://x.com/HollandPtm/status/1953936272952897907

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, Holland Chapter has condemned what it describes as an unprovoked and unjustifiable act of aggression by the military in North Waziristan's Mir Ali Tehsil. In a message on X, the group stated that troops from the Mir Ali military camp suddenly opened fire on the residential areas of Aikam Khel village around 1 a.m. last night without any prior incident or warning. Eyewitnesses recounted that the gunfire incited panic among residents, compelling many to seek refuge inside their homes.

PTM Holland reported that during the incident, a 12-year-old boy named "Hazoor," who is the nephew of movement member Yasir, was struck in the head by a bullet. He was swiftly transported to Khalifa Gul Nawaz Hospital, where he is receiving treatment in critical condition.

Residents have referred to the shooting as a clear injustice against innocent civilians, questioning what crime a child could have possibly committed to be subjected to such violence. PTM Holland further emphasised that this is not a unique occurrence, claiming that similar sudden and deadly attacks on ordinary citizens by the military have been repeatedly documented in the area.

The group also noted that, to date, no official clarification or statement has been issued by the authorities regarding this incident.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor