Miranshah [Pakistan], August 26 : Several tribals staged a peace rally at Mirali Tehsil in North Waziristan to call for peace in their region, Pakistan-based daily, Dawn reported.
The residents took to the streets on Sunday, marching through Mirali Bazaar. Participants carried white flags, large banners, and placards while chanting slogans advocating for peace, according to a report by Dawn.
The Dawn report stated that Mufti Baitullah of the Utmanzai Jirga, a tribe, announced the peace march during a meeting on August 12. In addition to the leaders of the Utmanzai Jirga, members of a local political alliance and the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement also joined the rally. The protesters called for measures to address the worsening law and order situation in North Waziristan and demanded greater control over their resources.
Baitullah stated that the agreement made with the government explicitly assigned the responsibility for maintaining peace to the state. However, he noted that the government had repeatedly failed to uphold its commitment, which led people to take to the streets.
The Dawn report further mentioned that protesters set a deadline of September 15 for the government to meet their demands, warning that they would escalate their protest campaign if their requests were not addressed.
The report also highlighted that Mirali Tehsil has been experiencing increased insecurity in recent years. Alongside targeted killings and kidnappings for ransom, attacks by militants on security forces and police occur almost daily. On Sunday, one person was killed and another injured in a targeted killing incident in Mirali.
Earlier, at the end of July 2024, a similar protest took place in South Waziristan as residents of that district faced similar issues of targeted attacks and extortion. The issue of ongoing lawlessness, target killings, and military operations in their region by Pakistan's armed forces in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region has consistently been highlighted on the international stage.
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