KHYBER: A large rally for peace was staged in Bara tehsil here on Saturday with the speakers urging security agencies to show seriousness in addressing terrorism in the tribal district.

They demanded an effective crackdown on militant groups in the region.

The rally was organised under the auspices of the Bara Siyasi Ittehad and addressed by Senator Mushtaq Ahmad of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Shahbuddin Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Sardar Hussain Babak of the Awami National Party, Manzoor Pashteen of the Pakhtun Tahaffuz Movement and local BSI leadership.

Hundreds of people showed up from across Khyber district braving hot and humid weather and carrying flags.

Hundreds turn up from across Khyber district

The speakers said state authorities and the security establishment should understand that the people of Khyber district in general and of Tirah and Bara areas in particular were not ready to vacate their homes and become internally displaced persons yet again on the pretext of a law and order situation in the region.

They urged security forces to remove “unnecessary” checkposts from Tirah valley to facilitate trouble-free movement of the residents and demanded compensation of the people, whose property had long been occupied for the establishment of security posts.

The speakers said that ostensibly, preparations were afoot to impose a new “war of terror” on the people of tribal districts but the residents won’t become cannon fodder for it.

Amid slogans for peace, they said through their massive participation in this peace rally, the people of Khyber tribal district had made it clear to policymakers that they didn’t favour any misadventure in the region in the name of militancy and won’t tolerate any self-imposed lawlessness on their soil.

The speakers insisted that the residents were shifting their businesses out of the district due to the growing cases of extortion and targeted killings.

They said the massive capital flight from tribal districts had rendered thousands of tribesmen jobless, while the small-time businessmen suffered massive losses.

The speakers said the state institutions, while eyeing the exploration of natural resources in tribal districts, were forgetting their prime responsibilities of maintaining peace in the region.

They demanded protection of all residents from extortion, targeted killing and bomb blasts.

The residents called upon security forces to immediately vacate the historic mosque in Bagh-Maidan Markaz and open it to people to offer prayers regularly.

On July 25, a peace rally was held in Tirah valley by the Bara Siyasi Ittehad against the growing cases of targeted killings, extortion, bomb and suicide attacks, and people’s fears of the intrusion of militants into the region.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2023