Protest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Against Azm-e-Istehkam Military Operation
Hundreds of locals from the Khyber Bara area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, organized a rally to condemn the ongoing military operation in the region. The protest, led by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), saw participation from various local ethnic groups.
The protestors demanded an end to the mercenary war and the ‘terrorist military policy’ in the Pashtun homeland. Pakistan’s top leadership recently approved a new military operation called ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’, meaning ‘Resolve for Stability’, aimed at quelling violence in the region. This decision followed a review of the country’s counterterrorism operations led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
PTM posted on X, ‘A peace rally was held in Khyber district against the so-called operation, the imposition of mercenary war on the Pashtun homeland, and the terrorist military policy. All ethnic groups of the Khyber Bara district participated in this peace rally. Our resistance against violence and for peace will continue.’
Human rights coordinator Fayaz Afridi, along with Shaur Afridi, Naqeeb Afridi, Wajid Afridi, and hundreds of other activists, took part in the Bike Peace Rally. The rally started from Qambarabad Shalobar and passed through various locations before concluding at Khyber Chowk. Upon reaching Bara Khyber Chowk, the rally expanded into a larger demonstration with participants chanting slogans against military operations, targeted killings, and unrest.
Speakers like Muqib Afridi denounced the military operation, calling it an ‘external agenda’ designed to harm tribal communities. They emphasized the need for the military to protect national borders rather than target its own citizens. Afridi warned that further conflicts would be unsustainable for the tribes and urged leaders to avoid wars driven by foreign interests. He highlighted the disparities between the lives of generals’ children studying abroad and local youth being coerced into conflict.
Afridi issued a stern warning that failure to rescind the decision on ‘commitment to stability’ would provoke strong opposition from tribal communities and the wider Pakhtunkhwa region, potentially forcing the military to reconsider its stance.
