NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Major roads and bazaars in North Waziristan tribal district remained closed for the second consecutive day on Friday against the increasing targeted killing incidents in the region.

A joint sit-in staged by the people of Dawar and Wazir tribes has been continuing for the last three weeks to demand concrete measures to curb targeted killings.

Bazaars in Mirali, Miramshah, Razmak, Dattakhel, Speenwam and Ghulam Khan remained shuttered and transporters also observed a wheel-jam strike.

Speaking to the participants of the sit-in staged in the Eidkat area, prominent tribal elder Malik Rabnawaz, who is leading the protest, said the state was like a mother to them but it had failed to give peace to its people. “We beseech the government to give us only peace and nothing else,” he said.

The elder said the tribal people had no conflict with the government except that they were opposed to its policies. He said that peace could be restored to the area if the government really wanted to do so.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2022