July 30, 2025
By Kaleem Ullah
LAHORE
The restive tribal district of Bajaur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa came under heavy military activity on Tuesday, July 30, with gunship helicopters and artillery hovering over the area as the government launched ‘Operation Sarbakaf’ against militants in the Loe Mamund tehsil. Three civilians, including a 12-year-old boy and a young girl, were reportedly killed, while 12 others were injured.
The District Administration on Tuesday issued a notification imposing a curfew in the area, following recommendations from the District Intelligence Coordination Committee. The notification stated that to ensure public safety during targeted operations against militants, restrictions on all movement—both on main roads and outside homes—would be enforced in several areas of Tehsil Loe Mamund, including Badi Siah, Tarkho, Irab, Gat, Agra, Khurchai, Dawagai, Kalan, Legharai, Kitkot, Gillai, Nakhtar, Zarai, Dambarai, Amanata, and Zagai.
The notification further said that a complete ban on the movement of individuals and vehicles would be enforced for three days, from July 29 to July 31, daily between 5:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Citizens were instructed to strictly comply with these directives and refrain from going outdoors during restricted hours, warning that any violation would result in legal action under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Our correspondent in Bajaur reports that the situation on the ground is dire. Gunship helicopters fired throughout the day in areas of Tehsil Mamund, and local residents have been confined to their homes in fear. Many women have begun to flee the area with their children in search of safety.
Meanwhile, residents gathered at Umeri Chowk near the Waru Mamund Police Station to stage a protest against the military operation. The protest is led by former National Assembly member Gul Zafar Khan. Speakers at the demonstration criticized both the military and the militants, alleging that both were responsible for targeting the local population. They further claimed that roads leading out of the operation zone had been blocked to prevent information about the situation from reaching the outside world. Protesters held copies of the Holy Quran in their hands and appealed to both sides to end the conflict and allow the people to live in peace.
Bajaur district is located along the Afghanistan border, and the Mamund tehsil shares a direct boundary with Afghanistan’s Kunar province. Mamund is the largest tehsil of Bajaur, covering an area of approximately 250 square kilometers. It also borders the tehsils of Salarzai, Khar Bajaur, and Nawagai. Additionally, Mamund shares its boundary with two Afghan districts—Shagai and Marawara.
In a PTI parliamentary party meeting held in Peshawar, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur addressed the issue, stating: “We are not in favor of any military operation being launched without the confidence of the provincial government.”
He expressed concern that the “relationship of trust between the army and the people” was deteriorating due to civilian casualties and collateral damage in Bajaur, and that this erosion of trust was undermining the country’s efforts against terrorism.
The meeting resolved that the curfew in Bajaur would be lifted by today, although no official notification has been issued as of yet. Several decisions were also made regarding the province’s security policies and future actions to address public concerns.
Chief Minister Gandapur further directed all deputy commissioners not to impose curfews without prior approval from the KP Home Department, regardless of the circumstances. He also decided to transfer the authority to impose Section 144 (used to enforce curfews) solely to the Home Department.
The meeting also decided to revoke the KP Actions (in Aid of Civil Power) Ordinance 2019, which gave legal cover to various detention centers established during past military operations. Legislation for this revocation is expected to be introduced in Friday’s KP Assembly session. The ordinance mirrored two 2011 regulations that had previously been imposed in the tribal areas.
Separately, Awami National Party MPA Nisar Baz Khan met with Provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and requested that the upcoming assembly session, scheduled for August 1, be held earlier—preferably by tomorrow evening.
He said that the law and order situation in the tribal districts had seriously deteriorated, and an unofficial military operation in Bajaur was targeting innocent civilians. He described the situation as “an act of extreme cruelty and brutality” and demanded an immediate assembly session to deliberate on the matter and halt the so-called operation.
Former Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmed also condemned Operation Sarbakaf in a statement on Twitter, calling it deeply regrettable. He said that the three-day curfew had caused immense suffering for the local population and questioned why 21 previous military operations had failed to restore lasting peace.
He further stated that this 22nd operation, launched without consulting the provincial assembly, federal parliament, local jirgas, or tribal elders, would not bring peace. He called upon political parties, community leaders, jirgas, and elders across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take to the streets and resist against the military operations and the imposed unrest.
To inquire about the implementation of the Chief Minister’s directive to lift the curfew, and to obtain an official count of the casualties and injuries sustained during the ongoing operation, this correspondent repeatedly attempted to contact the Deputy Commissioner. However, he did not respond to any of the calls.
However, deep sorrow was expressed over the “martyrdom of innocent civilians” in Bajaur district in a statement issued by the office of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. The Chief Minister also announced financial compensation of 10 million rupees (1 crore) each for the families of the deceased civilians and security personnel, and 2.5 million rupees (25 lakh) each for those injured.
Earlier this month, in a bomb blast in Bajaur, Assistant Commissioner Faisal Ismail, a tehsildar, and two police personnel were killed. A few weeks ago, the local leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), Maulana Khanzeb, was assassinated in the same area when he was engaged in preparations for a peace jirga (Pasoon) aimed at restoring peace in the region.