By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: A protest demonstration was held at Bacha Khan Chowk in Landikotal Bazaar on Wednesday under the banner of Khyber Olas, where participants condemned the recent alleged drone strike in Mir Ali, North Waziristan and expressed serious concerns over the rising wave of terrorism across the tribal districts.
A large number of people, including former president of the Torkham Labor Union Haji Farman Shinwari, PTM Khyber coordinator Aftab Shinwari Pashteen, social activists Swab Noor Shinwari and Imran Afridi and president of Landikotal postgraduate college Daud Shinwari, took part in the demonstration.
Students and local youth were also in significant attendance.
The protesters held banners and placards inscribed with slogans against drone strikes and terrorism. They chanted for peace and justice, calling on both federal and provincial governments to ensure the safety of civilians in conflict-prone areas.
Speakers strongly condemned the alleged drone strike in Mir Ali, in which several children were reportedly killed. They termed the incident a blatant violation of human rights and international laws and called for a thorough investigation into the attack.
They also linked the drone strike with a broader pattern of increasing violence in tribal regions. The speakers cited the recent deadly suicide bombing in Bajaur during a JUI-F gathering, which claimed dozens of innocent lives and left many injured, as another tragic example of the deteriorating law and order situation.
“These incidents show that our region is once again slipping into chaos,” said one of the speakers. “We had hoped for peace after the merger of Ex-FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but instead, we are witnessing a new wave of terrorism and instability.”
The protesters lamented that tribal communities continue to suffer due to state neglect and ineffective security measures. They criticized the government for failing to prevent such attacks and demanded concrete steps to restore peace in the region.
In addition to condemning violence, the protesters raised issues faced by local labourers at the Torkham border. They demanded the immediate removal of unnecessary restrictions and urged the authorities to stop harassing poor workers who depend on cross-border trade for their livelihood.
“We are being crushed from all sides—drone strikes from the sky, suicide bombers on the ground and economic restrictions at our only trade route,” said a protester. “Is this the peace we were promised after the FATA merger?”
The demonstration concluded with a peaceful march through Landikotal Bazaar. The organizers warned that if their demands were not addressed, they would launch a broader movement across all tribal districts to highlight the injustices being faced by the Pashtun population.
