SHANGLA: Residents of Shangla on Friday blocked the major Bisham-Swat Road in Alpuri here against the recent deadly terrorist attacks against police and civilians.

They later took out a “peace rally” on the call of the district bar association and Shangla Action Committee.

The protesters were addressed by leaders of various political parties, who demanded early yet effective elimination of terrorists from the district for sustainable peace.

Bar association president Waqif Shah, who is also the chairman of the Shangla Action Committee, led the rally. The participants carried banners and white flags and shouted slogans against terrorism and for peace.

Announce jirga will discuss security issue on Dec 23

They denounced a recent terrorist attack on a check post in Gunangar Chakesar that killed two police officials and injured three others.

The speakers, including elders Mutawakil Khan, Faiz Mohammad, Abbas Khan, Sultan Rome, Amad Khan, Gulab Shahpur and trade unionist Mohammadzada, complained that the state forces had failed to protect public life and property in the district and even the local police were being successfully targeted by terrorists. They complained that the incidence of terrorist attacks in the district had increased, spreading panic among residents.

Faiz Mohammad criticised law-enforcement agencies over repeated terror attacks and wondered how terrorists made it to the district.

He said that people in other parts of the world took to the streets to demand empowerment and development, but in Pakistan, residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were staging rallies to call for the right to live.

Trade union president Mohammadzada said that Bisham hadn’t witnessed any terrorist attack in the last three decades but the situation was no more the same as terrorists were carrying out activities there as well. He said that terrorism was a big threat to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as well.

Mr Mohammadzada said the recent terrorist incident near the Karakoram Highway was an upsetting development.

He said that terrorist attacks threatened businesses and tourism in the region, which attracted lots of people from across the country and abroad through the Karakoram Highway.

Elder Abbas Khan said the people of Shangla feltinsecuredue to the rising terrorist activities. He urged the local youth to come out to protect their lives and land against terrorism.

Sultan Rome criticised both the federal and provincial governments for not taking the issue of terrorism seriously and said the people were losing lives to terrorist attacks but rulers weren’t bothered.

He said that the police could tackle terrorism on their own but they lacked authority to do so.

Chairman of the Shangla Action Committee Waqif Shah said the residents would no longer tolerate the killing of police in check post attacks, which showed the incompetence of state agencies.

He criticised the political leadership from the district for their absence from the rally despite having influential positions.

Mr Shah announced that a jirga would be convened on Dec 23 to discuss the security issue in the district, with local PML-N leader Amir Muqam, opposition leader in the provincial assembly Ibadullah Khan, PTI MPA Abdul Munim and PML-N MPA Mohammad Rashad Khan informally invited to attend it.

He warned that if the government failed to restore peace without delay, the residents would stage street protests and resort to strikes.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2024