Pashtun groups slam Pak army over Laki Marwat bombing that killed 5 children

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], August 5 : The Pashtun National Jirga (PNJ) has denounced what it termed a savage bombing that resulted in the deaths and injuries of several civilians, including many children, in the Laki Marwat district, believed to have been executed via drone or mortar fire.

In a statement shared on X, the PNJ indicated that this tragedy exemplifies the violence that Pashtuns have historically protested against.

As per the PNJ, the incident highlights the risks associated with the Pakistani army's ongoing policies of militarisation and colonisation in Pashtun areas, cautioning that such occurrences could become a "daily routine" if present practices persist. The group conveyed its profound worry regarding the targeting of innocent citizens and called for an immediate cessation of actions that endanger non-combatants.

The PNJ reaffirmed its stance on the fundamental causes of insecurity and terrorism, asserting that they arise from the army's perception of war as a means for income and power, its ongoing backing of so-called "good" militants used as proxy forces, the disintegration of the Pashtun social fabric, and the suppression of individuals advocating for equal rights, justice, development, and accountability.

The statement contended that military operations will not solve the problems, as the army sustains the conditions that enable militant networks to thrive. Instead, the PNJ warned that such military actions will lead only to further loss of life and devastation for innocent Pashtuns, as well as a deterioration of the community's social structures that could otherwise inhibit extremist groups.

The Holland Chapter of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) has issued a strong denunciation of a fatal bombing in Laki Marwat that resulted in the deaths of five children and injuries to over 13 individuals, blaming the Pakistani military for sustaining violence via militarisation, state oppression, and the deployment of proxy militants in Pashtun areas.

https://x.com/HollandPtm/status/1951911561779376321

In a statement posted on X, PTM Holland described the incident reportedly caused by the explosion of drone-fired or mortar shells as "a continuation of the Pashtun enemy's state policies of genocide." The group said the killing of children and the wounding of civilians reflected the Pakistani state's long-standing approach of suppressing the Pashtun population through force.

"The silence of human rights advocates and various institutions in the face of the state-sponsored killing of Pashtun children is deplorable," the statement read. "We consider this injustice a continuation of the Pashtun enemy's state policies. To strengthen the colonial grip on the mineral resources of the Pashtun homeland and to displace Pashtuns from their homeland once again, even innocent children are martyred, and state-backed proxy terrorists are used to spread fear and terror."

PTM Holland conveyed its complete support for the grieving families in Laki Marwat and committed to backing and taking part in any demonstrations organised by the victims' relatives and the local community. The organisation stressed that it would "proactively fulfil its role" in opposing such acts of violence and ensuring accountability for those responsible.

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