Osama Ahmad
On June 25, the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) launched a massive rally in the Khyber district. Thousands of people attended. The rally was called in response to the Pakistan federal government’s latest decision to launch a new military operation, named Azm-e-Istehkam, to counter the rising tide of terrorism in the country. The announcement came days after Chinese officials expressed displeasure over Pakistan’s deplorable security situation, and urged Islamabad to improve security for Chinese workers in Pakistan and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
While the specific target area for the military operation is not yet known, the announcement has sent shockwaves across the Pashtun region in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the former tribal districts known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), prompting strong reactions from both nationalist and religious parties.
Pashtuns’ concerns are not unfounded, as they have endured significant suffering during past operations, leading to worries that the new operation could bring back that traumatic past.
Kaleem Dawar*, a 46-year-old fruit seller in the North Waziristan district, told The Diplomat, “We have seen enough wars, destruction, and bloodshed. We don’t want it anymore. Our memories hurt, and we don’t want to go back to the past again.” Dawar concluded with tears forming at the corners of his eyes, asking, “Who in the whole world would want continuous wars and bloodshed?”
Following Pakistan’s announcement of a new military operation, the Hafiz Gul Bahadur (HGB) group announced the launch of a counter-operation named Al-Fatah bi al-Nusratul Rehman, to oppose the security forces in North Waziristan. Additionally, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) also announced a counter-operation named Azm-e-Shariat in response to Pakistan’s military operation, aiming to increase its attacks in Pakistan.
It is feared that in the ensuing struggle between the militants and the military, average Pashtuns are likely to suffer the most.
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