MOHMAND: A peace rally held here on Tuesday opposed any military operation in the merged district and demanded of the government and security forces to take concrete steps to protect the life and property of people.

Addressing the participants of Mohmand Aman Pasoon (peace rally), the speakers said Mohmand tribesmen should be taken into confidence before any decision was taken about their fate.

Mohmand Political Alliance organised the rally in Halimzai tehsil’s Mian Mandi Bazaar.

MNA Sajid Khan Mohmand, alliance’s president Jangriz Mohmand, JUI-F district chief Mohammad Arif Haqqani, former PTI candidate for provincial assembly Sajjad Khan Mohmand, Abdur Razaq Safi of banned Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement, former MPA Nisar Mohmand, Mohammad Saeed Khan of Jamaat-i-Islami, Abdul Majeed Khan of Haqq Do Tehreek, Qari Ayaz, Dr Alamzeb of PPP and a large number of elders and workers of political parties attended the rally.

The participants holding party flags were chanted slogans in favour of peace in the tribal region and elimination of militancy.

The speakers said houses of tribal people were destroyed during militancy and the consequent counter-militancy operations in Mohmand, and emphasised that the region could no more afford any fresh military offensive.

They said ‘humiliation’ of tribesmen in the name of operations should be stopped. They demanded opening of the Gursal highway for resumption of Pak-Afghan trade.

They said that law and order situation in Mohmand district was satisfactory, but pointed out that ‘conspiracies were being hatched to launch a new military operation in the region’.

The speakers said people were forced to vacate their houses whenever a military offensive was launched against militants. They said that the tribesmen were the ultimate sufferers as a result of such operations, but no compensation was paid to them.

The protesting tribesmen said they had come out onto the roads against such injustices and would not leave their houses and area in case a fresh counter-terrorism operation was launched.

The speakers said all political parties were united in their struggle for establishment of durable peace in the region. They deplored that the people were deprived of basic facilities.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2025