NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Locals in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali district continued their sit-in on Sunday for the seventh day, protesting against a suspected drone strike in the district — that they say is responsible for the death of four children — vowing to launch a long march to Islamabad if their demands were not met on Monday.

The suspected strike took place in Mir Ali’s Hurmuz village on May 19 during the daytime, leaving four children of the same family dead and injuring five others, including a woman.

While police have held talks with tribal elders, they have remained inconclusive, after the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), had clarified that the strike was carried out by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Dawn.com reported.

Local elders said the sit-in in the Mir Ali area continued for the seventh day as authorities allegedly blocked all network and internet systems in the district.

The Mir Ali sit-in committee issued a statement, seen by Dawn.com, seeking justice for the children who lost their lives in the incident and warning of the march. “The people of Waziristan will not remain silent and will launch a long march towards Islamabad on May 26, 2025 (tomorrow), if our demands are not fulfilled,” it added.

Demand judicial probe into drone strike, assistance to victims, punishment for culprits

The committee said the long march would commence from the venue of the protest sit-in in Mir Ali, pass through Bannu Bazaar and Township Chowk, and reach Domel Highway Chowk where locals would join them. The protesters would then march towards Karak and Kohat where others would join them before reaching Peshawar. The protesters would stay in Peshawar for night and would be joined by people from other districts.

“The next morning, the participants will march towards Islamabad, after passing through Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan and Swabi where other processions will join them,” the statement added while explaining the route of the march.

The protesters also laid out their demands, including “a judicial inquiry into the Mir Ali incident and punishment of the culprits; justice, protection, and state assistance to the families of the victims; and a complete end to drone attacks”, among other stipulations.

The statement claimed that the protesters would hold a peaceful demonstration in Islamabad for their demands in front of government offices and state institutions. “We believe in peaceful protests and this long march will mark a milestone in the struggle against oppression, injustice, and silence and awaken the nation’s conscience,” it added.

Last week, the ISPR said initial findings had established that this “heinous act has been orchestrated and executed by India-sponsored Fitnah Al Khwarij,” using the term the state uses to refer to the TTP.

“Following a tragic incident on May 19, 2025, in the general area of Mir Ali, North Waziristan district, which regrettably resulted in civilian casualties, unfounded and misleading allegations have been circulated by certain quarters, falsely implicating Pakistan’s security forces,” it added. “These claims are entirely baseless and are part of a coordinated disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the security forces’ steadfast efforts in the ongoing counterterrorism operations.” It said that a “comprehensive investigation was promptly initiated”.

“It is evident that these elements — acting at the behest of their Indian masters — continue to exploit civilian areas and vulnerable populations as shields to conduct their reprehensible acts of terrorism. Such tactics aim to unsuccessfully sow discord between the local population and the security forces, who together remain resolute to uproot the menace of terrorism.”

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2025