Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is one of the major provinces of Pakistan, but unfortunately, this province, particularly its tribal areas, have been plagued by terrorism for years. Recently, the unrest in Bannu has been primarily driven by the ongoing terrorism. Bannu is a significant district located on the eastern side of North Waziristan, where people from the Banusi, Waziri, and other tribes reside. To its south lies another district known as FR Bannu, also called Janikhel, which also has been severely impacted by terrorism.
The main cause of terrorism in Bannu is the presence of “good Taliban” in this area. These good Taliban didn’t wield much influence in the past, but in recent times, they have gained significant power. They routinely come out after sunset, checking people’s identity cards on the roads and chowks. The public has grown weary of their actions but is too fearful to speak out. Eventually, a suicide attack occurred at Bannu Cantonment, resulting in the martyrdom of nine military officers. In response, the Army opened fire, leading to the death of three civilians, two from Bannu and one Bangash from Kohat, all of whom were local laborers.
Following this incident, an enraged public took to the streets, launching a vehement protest against the army. On Friday, July 19th, the people planned to organize a protest under the banner of “Bannu Amn Pasoon,” which saw participation from people of all walks of life—laborers, traders, politicians, doctors, and clerics. Considering the intensity of the protest, businesses were shut down that day, and a fine of 10,000 rupees was imposed on those who did not participate.
On July 19th, approximately five to ten lakh people from various areas of Bannu gathered at Lakki Gate, the central area of Bannu. When space became insufficient, they decided to march towards Bannu Complex. Along the way, some individuals instigated trouble by pelting stones at military installations, which prompted the Army to open fire. At Bannu Complex, some masked individuals created further chaos by firing shots. During this time, social activist Abdul Samad, affiliated with PTM and a native of Bannu, tried to calm the crowd and urged them to maintain peace. The firing resulted in injuries to several people and one death, after which social media was shut down throughout Bannu. In this situation, some people sought refuge in Apiji Mosque and decided to stage a sit-in until their demands were met. They set up tents at Bannu Cantonment and Bukhari Chowk, where thousands of people gathered daily
to protest against the ongoing situation and presented 16 demands.
The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, invited the elders and leaders of Bannu to the Chief Minister’s House to discuss about their 16 demands and assured them that their demands were legitimate. He promised to speak with the Corps Commander and come to Bannu to announce the fulfillment of these demands. Two weeks later, on August 2nd, people gathered again at Lakki Gate, where Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur addressed the crowd, assuring them that their demands would not only be implemented in Bannu but across the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Following this, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) conducted raids, arresting several “Good Taliban,” shutting down their centers, and took their leader, Ishaq, into 30-day custody.
During the Bannu incident, people had a total of 16 demands, a few of which are detailed below.
The protestors absolutely expressed opposition to any kind of military operation in Bannu. Further, they demanded that all centers of both good and bad Taliban in Bannu must be eliminated.
Previously, the police were instructed not to be on duty after sunset. In addition to calling on the government to withdraw this policy, they also demanded an increase in allocation of resources to police.
Most significantly, the protestors rejected any kind of military interference or operation against the terrorists, saying that instead counter terrorism department and district administration should collaborate to curtail mobility of Taliban in the district and to launch targeted operations against militants in the area.
Finally, they warned that should the district administration fails to do so, they will be compelled to take law in their own hands.
The Bannu protest as well as recent incidents of sectarian clashes in Kurram district, demonstrates that situation is spinning out of control in remote and newly merged districts (NMDs). Unfortunately, the provinces has been left at the mercy of militants because of the state’s ill-conceived policies.
It is high time that the government addressed the issues faced by the people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Confidence-building measures to increase public trust in the government ought to be the first step. While addressing the immediate concerns around increasing threat of militancy and abuse of human rights has to be the foremost priority, the government also needs to address critical gaps in governance at the local level for durable peace in the area.
The writer is our Editorial Assistant based in Peshawar.
