Miranshah:
Friday, a powerful and unprecedented demonstration in northern Waziristan Tribal District while thousands of members of the tribe descended into the street to oppose a potential military operation in the region. The demonstration has reached its peak in Mir Ali, one of the most important cities in the region, where the demonstrators offered prayers on Friday in the congregation on a two -kilometer section of the main highway, effectively closing commercial activity and sending a strong political message.
The demonstration, much more than a religious rally, served as a peaceful but energetic public referendum against what the inhabitants consider as destructive government policies. With closed stores and the “uncommits” slogan operation resonating throughout the region, he marked an important moment of political conscience, public unity and resistance.
The prayer and protest management was Jamiat Ulema-E-Islam (F) MNA MUFTI MISBAHUDDIN, who declared during his sermon: “This prayer is the peaceful rejection of the nation of any possible operation. We defend ourselves again.” He added that the tribal communities had established peace in the past and will not accept again “devastation in the name of peace”.
Mufti Baitullah, speaking on behalf of the Utmanzai Tribal Council, announced three key decisions:
If a military operation is launched in a village, the whole population will come out of their houses protesting.
Pacific demonstrations will take place throughout the region, urging people not to leave their homes.
Stores and houses will in no case be abandoned.
Merchants of cities like Miranshah, Mir Ali, Khaddi, Harmuz, Hassu Khel and Epi expressed their frustration, claiming that the damages of Operation Zarb-Ezb 2014 have still not been remunerated.
Haji Gul Muhammad, a local merchant, said: “We have rebuilt our stores on loans, restarted companies from scratch, but every few months, we hear about another operation. Our lives are stuck in uncertainty.” He recalled how women were forced to live for months in open fields, schools and tent camps during the last trip. “This time, if they come, we will not leave. We will sit in front of them.”
After Zarb-E-Azb, more than 7,500 stores in Miranshah and more than 800 in Mir Ali were completely destroyed. More than 2,000 houses have undergone partial or complete damage, and commercial goods worth millions of rupees have been lost to loot or burn down.
The eldest Tribal Nisar Ali Khan revealed that they had been informed of the preparations for an “authorization operation” in certain areas. “We will not remain silent this time,” he warned, pointing past incidents of forced displacement, extrajudicial arrests and human rights violations during military operations. “Today, the inhabitants of northern Waziristan have told the world that they were peaceful, but they will not offer other sacrifices. Their patience has exhausted.” He warned that if the government ignores the public’s voice, the future tribal resistance could intensify – not only in the street, but also in legal and political frameworks.
This mass demonstration occurs in the middle of a backdrop of growing violence in the region, including skirmishes between the security forces and the terrorists, the borders by the road and several suicide attacks. Residents believe that these incidents are used as a pretext to launch a new military campaign.
