Protests staged against Wana firing incident

PESHAWAR: The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) began a sit-in in Hayatabad here Monday to protest the killing of its workers in a firing incident in Wana, South Waziristan on Sunday.

The PTM activists claimed the gunmen belonging to the peace committee opened fire on the PTM members killing three and injuring more than 20. The PTM sit-in at Hayatabad was expected to continue till Sehr. Activists said the decision to stage the protest for a few days or continue it till Eidul Fitr would be taken at the protest camp.

The protest call was given by the PTM founder Manzoor Pashteen. He had asked the PTM members and supporters to stage protests against firing on their colleagues in Wana not only in Pakistan, but also abroad including outside the UN headquarters.

The security forces clamped curfew in Wana after the firing incident on Sunday to prevent further violence. In a pre-dawn message on social media, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai asked his party workers to stage protests across the country against the Wana incident.

He said that people have the right to stage protest against the excesses against them. Claiming that Pakhtuns were staging peaceful protest, he said that "such action against the people demanding their rights was unbearable."

In Mingora, the PkMAP held a protest rally outside the Swat Press Club against the Wana incident. In Mardan, several activists of PkMAP, PTM and Pakhtun Ulasi Tehreek (PUT) staged protest against the attack on PTM leader Ali Wazir and others in Wana.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concern over the Wana incident. In a statement, the HRCP said: “We counsel the administration to restore peace and take steps to avoid any further confrontation between PTM supporters and the armed outfits.”

In Islamabad, the law enforcement agencies arrested 29 activists of PTM and shifted them to Kohsar Police Station. The activists gathered in front of the National Press Club and started slogans against the establishment. The police and other law enforcement agencies personnel cordoned off the area and arrested 29 people of the PTM.