19 September 2022
By Ahmed Saeed
LAHORE: Thousands of people in Kurram district have rallied against the re-emergence of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Protesters in Kurram urged the federal and provincial governments to take stern action against the TTP-backed militants and stop them from gaining a foothold in the tribal region.
People were carrying white flags to symbolize that they want peace as they marched through the business center of the city. A large number of youth and tribal elders from Upper and Lower Kurram, and Central Kurram participated in the peaceful demonstration and rally.
The protesters carried placards and banners inscribed with peace slogans. Local leaders including Tufail Shaheen, Rafiullah Chamkani, and Mir Afzal Khan Turi, also addressed the participants of the demonstration.
In their speeches, the local leaders said people in Kurram had witnessed the deaths and destruction caused by a prior wave of terrorism in the district. People wanted peace and would resist attempts to renew violence in the region. The speakers said citizens have started to migrate from the district due to a spate of attacks on paramilitary forces therein recent weeks.
The leaders called on the provincial government and security institutions to immediately take measures to maintain peace in the region and curb incidents of terrorism.
During the first wave of militancy in 2007, over 1500 people were killed in terrorist activities in the district. People of the border district still have not recovered from the scars of the last wave of militancy in the area that took everything from them.
They are desperately appealing to the government to intervene and save the district from witnessing another episode of bloodshed.
Following an increase in militant attacks and the reported presence of TTP militants, citizens have taken out protests in Swat, Lower Dir, and the tribal districts.
The government has stated that the law and order situation in these areas was under control and denied the presence of any militants there.