\n Pakistan\u2019s KP to hold tribal council meetings from this weekend over concerns amid Bajaur military operation\n <\/p>\n
\n\tPESHAWAR: The chief minister of Pakistan\u2019s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Ali Amin Gandapur, announced on Wednesday that the provincial government will hold a series of tribal council meetings or jirgas from August 2 to address people\u2019s concerns, amid protests over the deteriorating law and order situation amid a fresh military operation in the restive Bajaur district.<\/p>\n
\n\tLocated in KP along the Afghan border, the northwestern Bajaur district has long experienced militant violence and multiple military operations, especially during the peak of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) insurgency.<\/p>\n
\n\tHundreds of protesters, including tribal elders and youth, rallied on Wednesday in Bajaur district to express concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the area, as the military launched an operation against militants that has left at least three civilians dead and seven injured, according to local representatives. Residents say they are opposing the latest offensive out of fear of displacement, as previous operations in the tribal belt, led to evacuations and long-term instability.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe unrest erupted following a three-day curfew imposed across 16 villages in Bajaur\u2019s Loi Mamund tehsil, where the Pakistan Army began a counterterrorism operation codenamed \u201cSarbakaf\u201d on July 29. The curfew, announced in a notification by the district\u2019s deputy commissioner, aimed to \u201censure public safety\u201d amid intelligence reports of militant activity.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI am starting jirgas [tribal councils] and from August 2, god willing, our jirgas will begin,\u201d Gandapur said in a video message released by his office.<\/p>\n
\n\tHe added that at first, the jirgas will be held at the division level where all of the province\u2019s local elders, political parties, political representatives, and stakeholders will sit together for consultations.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe purpose of the consultations is to address the reservations and after these jirgas, we will hold a grand jirga in which we will give our policy, our plan and future strategy after sitting with all institutions,\u201d the chief minister added.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Pakistani military\u2019s offensive triggered intense clashes with suspected militants, as local residents say the crossfire spilled into civilian areas, forcing many families to flee.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe situation remains tense, and some families have already relocated to safer areas within the district,\u201d Dr. Hamid ur Rehman, a provincial lawmaker from Bajaur affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told Arab News over the phone while confirming civilian casualties.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe operation has been paused today, but there\u2019s still fear in the air,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\n\tHe said a provincial assembly session scheduled for August 1 would discuss the crisis.<\/p>\n
\n\tPakistan\u2019s military did not respond to a request for comment from Arab News when this report was filed.<\/p>\n
\n\tNisar Muhammad, spokesperson for the provincial information department, said the government was \u201cclosely monitoring\u201d the situation and had convened an apex committee meeting to review the security response.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe curfew will be lifted in phases, depending on the ground situation,\u201d he added. \u201cCivilian safety is our priority.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe escalation has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders.<\/p>\n
\n\tAimal Wali Khan, president of the Awami National Party, denounced the violence in a social media statement, saying, \u201cThe bloodshed in Bajaur must end.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMalik Farman Ullah, a tribal elder, voiced frustration over the recurring violence in the region.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOur people are exhausted from burying the dead,\u201d he said. \u201cWe demand that militants and security forces keep their clashes away from civilian homes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Bajaur operation comes amid renewed concerns about the TTP\u2019s presence along the Afghan border and a broader uptick in militant violence across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe provincial administration, led by Gandapur, has called for greater provincial involvement in security decisions, emphasizing the need to balance counterterrorism with civilian protections.<\/p>\n
\n\tAs tensions rise, the federal and provincial governments face growing pressure to restore stability without repeating past cycles of violence in the tribal belt.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pakistan\u2019s KP to hold tribal council meetings from this weekend over concerns amid Bajaur military operation
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