Thousands took to the streets after becoming fed up with the lawlessness, targeted attacks and extortion in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa district of South Waziristan. A large number of people also took to the streets of Bajaur to protest against the terrorism.
A rally was organised in Wana under the Muttahida Siasi Aman Pasawoon. Thousands of people including tribal elders, leaders and workers of political parties, as well as local residents participated in the rally.
The protesters said that the establishment of peace was the responsibility of the state. Therefore, state institutions should fulfill their responsibilities, they asserted.
“Targeted attacks, extortion, and the worsening law and order situation have once against proven that state institutions have either failed to perform their duty completely or are supporting those who are creating a law and order situation,” one of the speakers emphasised.
The speakers stressed that the state institutions should correct their approach, and fulfill their responsibilities within the framework of the country’s Constitution and laws.
The leaders said they are peaceful people who did not believe in violence. They continued that gathered masses have shown that they desire peace in the district and demand that government departments to work to this end.
The tribal leaders warned that if institutions were unable to remove hurdles in the way of peace, the general public would be forced to think for the next step.
In the end, Maulana Naik Muhammad presented a 14-point resolution. The main points were that maintaining peace, law and order was the responsibility of the state. The document added that no group, committee or militant organisation was acceptable in the name of peace.
They also expressed their strong opposition to Operation Azm-e-Istehkam in Waziristan. “Culprits responsible for the attack on Maulana Mirzajan and Maulana Deen Saeed must be arrested as soon as possible and brought to justice,” the resolution demanded.
It also urged authorities to interfering with the civil administration and restrain the police from taking illegal or unconstitutional actions.
In the Mamond area of Bajaur tribal district, thousands protested against the deteriorating law and order situation in the area.
