SWAT: Pakhtun leaders on Friday complained that dozens of their community members were killed in the last two months but both parliament and judiciary were silent about those killings.

They showed up in a large rally staged by the Swat Olasi Pasoon (Swat Public Uprising) at the Kanju Chowk of Kabal tehsil here.

People from across the province attended the protest and condemned the recent wave of terrorism in the province, including blasts at the counter-terrorism department building in Kabal area, the Lakki Marwat police station attack, and the killing of eight teachers in a Kurram school.

Noted among the speakers were PTM chief Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, MNA Ali Wazir, Mir Kalam Wazir, Saeed Khan, Sher Shah Khan, Ayoub Asharey, Talemand Khan, Muzzamil Shah, Aftab Khan, Izhar Ahmad, Ajab Khan Toyaley, Abdul Rahim, Dr Amjad and Usman Fanoos Gujjar.

Large rally staged in Swat against terror wave in province

They said recently, dozens of people were killed by terrorists in separate attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but unfortunately, no one from parliament and mainstream media raised voice for them.

“Pakistani TV channels show cricket matches and the body of an elephant but unfortunately, they don’t cover the Pakhtuns killed in terrorist attacks suggesting that the media along with parliament and judiciary is not for Pakhtuns,” Senator Mushtaq claimed.

He said the Supreme Court’s chief justice was busy taking up political cases but ignored the terror wave in Pakhtun belt.

“More than 22 military operations were conducted in Pakhtun areas but they all were meant to collect American dollars and not to restore peace,” he said.

The lawmaker said from January 1 to April 30, at least 120 policemen were killed in KP.

He said India was eliminating its cantonments declaring them the “symbols” of British rule, but the Pakistan Army was increasing the number of such areas in the country.

MNA Ali Wazir said the wrong policies of the state turned the beautiful and peaceful Swat region into the “hell of gunpowder”.

He said Pakhtunshad no option but to get united against the state’s terror policies.

PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen wondered who created terrorists and spread modern weapons in the country.

He said external forces didn’t cause terrorism in the country.

“It is strange that more than 20 military operations were carried out but they failed to eliminate a handful of terrorists,” he said.

Mr Pashteen said Pakhtuns were aware of the reality of terrorism and won’t be deceived “this time around.”

Without naming names, he said the people entered Pakhtun areas on their own and with certain designs but were “expelled with the choice of Pakhtuns.”

The PTM leader said such people didn’t go back with humiliation.

He said that every military operation was carried out under strange slogans and names just to accumulate American dollars.

The speakers said there won’t be any compromise on peace and that Pakhtuns would allow their killings in the “war fought for dollars.”

They rejected the claim of the KP police that a short circuit caused the Kabal CTD blasts and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.

The speakers said that if another terrorist incident occurred on Pakhtun soil in the country, the next protest would be staged outside cantonment areas instead of open spaces or bazaars.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2023