North Waziristan Residents Cut Gas Supply in Protest for Peace
Residents of North Waziristan’s Utmanzai Jigra tribal district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, have cut off the gas supply after the government failed to meet their demands for peace. On Friday, members of the Jirga in Mir Ali severed the gas pipeline running from North Waziristan to other parts of Pakistan as part of their protest.
Maulana Baitullah, the spokesperson for the Utmanzai Jirga, explained that while they couldn’t remove the entire pipeline due to a lack of machinery, they managed to cut a portion of it using shovels and other tools. This action follows a recent rally where thousands protested against lawlessness, target killings, and military operations in their region.
The Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), Utmanzai Jigra, Aman Pasawon, and various political parties organized a protest in Mir Ali Bazaar. Thousands, including workers from different political parties, attended the rally. Aman Pasawon participants observed a complete shutter down strike in solidarity with the protest.
Local leaders emphasized that the people of North Waziristan do not support violence and warned that the state would be held responsible for any ensuing losses if their issues were not addressed. They stated that the protest would continue until their demands were met.
The issue of human rights abuses by Pakistan’s armed forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been highlighted internationally. Recently, the Afghan Cultural Association (AKS) and the Austria branch of the PTM staged a protest outside the Pakistan Embassy in Vienna. In late July 2024, a similar protest was held in South Waziristan due to similar issues of targeted attacks and extortion.
Doubts Revealed
North Waziristan -: North Waziristan is a region in Pakistan, near the border with Afghanistan. It is known for its tribal communities and has faced many conflicts.
Utmanzai Jigra -: Utmanzai Jigra is a tribal district in North Waziristan. A ‘Jigra’ is a traditional assembly of leaders in tribal areas.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa -: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a province in Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern part of the country.
Maulana Baitullah -: Maulana Baitullah is a leader who led the protest in North Waziristan. ‘Maulana’ is a title for a respected religious leader in Islam.
Gas pipeline -: A gas pipeline is a large tube that carries natural gas from one place to another. Cutting it off means stopping the gas supply.
Lawlessness -: Lawlessness means a situation where there are no laws or rules being followed, leading to chaos and disorder.
Target killings -: Target killings are when specific people are deliberately killed, often for political or personal reasons.
Military operations -: Military operations are actions taken by the army or military forces to achieve a specific goal, often involving combat.
Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) -: The Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) is a group in Pakistan that advocates for the rights of the Pashtun people, who are an ethnic group in the region.
Non-violence -: Non-violence means not using physical force to achieve goals. It is a peaceful way of protesting or making changes.
