Burau Report

PESHAWAR, Aug 14: Hundreds of people, mostly children belonging to various localities of Bajaur Agency, who were displaced due to the ongoing military operation, held a protest rally against the armed action in the area here on Thursday.

The protesters, led by different political and trade leaders, took out a procession from the Jinnah Park and marched on the Sher Shah Suri Road, and held a rally outside the Peshawar Press Club. They tried to stage demonstration in front of the Governor House but the police did not allow them. They were holding black banners, flags and placards inscribed with slogans against the operation and targeting civilian population in different areas of the agency. The children, who wore black armbands, also observed a sit-in on the main road and blocked the traffic for some time and later held a rally.

Speakers came hard on the rulers for allegedly allowing bombardment on the civilian population and termed it violation of the basic human rights. They said the government had launched operation against its own people, and majority of those died were innocent citizens. They demanded an early end to the operation.

The demonstrators expressed concern over the mass exodus from various localities like Charmang, Mamond, Luisam, Mohammad Gat village, Khar and Phatak areas and said that the displaced people were spending nights in the open air in parts of Dir, Peshawar and Mardan. They said the government had failed to provide them food, shelter and other basic needs.

The protesters observed the Independence Day as a ‘black day’ and rejected the government’s explanation that a large number of miscreants were killed during the operation. They claimed that those killed had no links with the Taliban. Those who spoke on the occasion included Khaista Rehman Bajauri, Maulana Saeed, Saeed Khan, Maulvi Rehman Said and Musafir Khan.