June 24, 2024
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
Hundreds collected in Timergara, Lower Dir in a peace march held on Monday, June 24 to protest military operation Azm-e-Istehkam.
The rally was organized by the Dir Olasi Pasoon (or ‘public uprising’), primarily a social platform, but was flanked by others from all spheres including lawyers, journalists, and political workers.
Speakers condemned the killing of Sheikh Inamullah and the attacks on security forces in Maidan.
However they said there was no need for an operation which resulted in nothing but strife and difficulties for the people living in the area.
Khalid Lal Khan, one of the organizers of the rally, and a political worker of the Awami National Party (ANP) told Voicepk that the citizens wanted nothing but peace, but time and again they saw that the militants who had been arrested and tried were being released by the State itself. “In the last operations, we had to migrate and live in camps, and things were alright until seven to eight years later, the Taliban came back in power in Afghanistan, and then we saw bad times once again,” he said. “So an operation is only a temporary issue. They should stop releasing accused militants, perhaps it would create a big difference.”
He said it was the State policy that was causing a problem.
“Maybe the State should look into what is causing the basic problem regarding militancy and why it keeps cropping up,” he said. “We know that militancy has sometimes had state sponsorship. We know that even the US has supported it for their own ulterior motives.”
Khan said that all the citizens regarding this issue were on the same page, regardless of their political leaning.
“Initially we thought the issue was a social one, not a political one, but party leaders and workers alike believe that it is in fact a political issue and must be resolved politically. Actually those who are living in this region are now much more aware and much more conscious.”
He added that funds should instead be spent on public health and education for them to prosper.
Jamaat-i-Islami Secretary Information of Lower Dir, Shoaib Ahmed also spoke to Voicepk, as JI has been at the forefront protesting militancy in the region.
“We have suffered enough thanks to military operations,” he said. “The end result is not good, it will end up pushing us into IDP camps. Even on the fourth day of Eid, we saw helicopters shelling in the mountains, and people once again got extremely scared. People are traumatized by these operations.”
Ahmed said that although the prime minister and federal government had approved of the operation, it would end up in causing destruction of businesses for the Pukhtoons who lived in the area especially the Malakand Division.
“Our businesses were destroyed, we were forced to migrate, we have suffered a lot and we have been set back 10 to 20 years,” he said. “We ask the government where these militants are coming from, despite the presence of border and security forces? The public should know these things.”
He said they were not going against the government or the military, but the Pushtun belt cannot abide another operation considering the economic situation there. “We cannot migrate to camps anymore, we denounce any kind of military operation, whether its on an international agenda or a national one. We refuse to accept any spilling of our blood.”