Tribal Districts Rally for Peace: Denounce Fresh Military Operations Amid Rising Tensions

In a powerful display of unity, thousands across Mohmand, North Waziristan, and South Waziristan staged extensive peace rallies on Friday, firmly denouncing potential new military operations and voicing concerns about further community displacements, as reported by Dawn News. In the bustling Mian Mandi Bazaar of Mohmand district, tribal elders, political leaders, and civil society members collectively criticized the state's inability to secure peace in these tribal regions.

Prominent party representatives from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP), and Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) joined in solidarity. Local leader Firdous Safi voiced a shared plea for peace, emphasizing the government's accountability to peace-loving taxpayers. The assassination of Maulana Khan Zeb, a champion for tribal rights, casts a shadow over recent events. In North Waziristan, the Utmanzai Jirga Aman Pasoon protested in Miramshah, opposing any future military offensives, as spokesperson Mufti Baitullah articulated, citing historical failures like Zarb-i-Azb.

Further protests are planned for Dattakhel, where locals endure severe restrictions under a prolonged curfew. The peaceful sit-in at Wana Bypass Chowk marks progress in South Waziristan, achieving negotiations that reopen Angoor Adda border and safeguard local resources, amid economic hardship highlighted by South Waziristan Chamber of Commerce's president, Saifur Rehman Wazir. These protests illuminate a widespread call for peace and recognition of tribal rights in Pakistan's tumultuous regions, according to ANI and Dawn News reports.

(With inputs from agencies.)