Utmanzai Jigra Cuts Gas Supply to Demand Peace in North Waziristan

Residents of North Waziristan's Utmanzai Jigra cut off the gas supply in protest after the Pakistani government failed to establish peace in the region. The action followed a protest rally against violence and military operations. Demonstrators demand government intervention to ensure their safety.

Residents of North Waziristan, specifically the Utmanzai Jigra tribal area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have severed the gas supply pipeline in protest against the Pakistani government's failure to establish peace. Express Tribune reported the incident on Saturday, after the Jirga in Mir Ali cut the gas line on Friday.

Maulana Baitullah, spokesperson for the Utmanzai Jirga, explained that though protesters lacked the machinery to fully dismantle the pipeline, they managed to cut a portion using shovels. This act follows a massive rally where thousands protested against lawlessness, target killings, and military operations in the area, according to Express Tribune.

The protest in Mir Ali Bazaar was organized by Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), Utmanzai Jirga, Aman Pasawon, and various political parties. Local leaders urged that North Waziristan residents do not endorse violence but warned that the state would be held accountable if demands for peace and government intervention are unmet.

Internationally, concerns about human rights abuses by Pakistani armed forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have surfaced. The Afghan Cultural Association and Austria's Pashtun Tahafuz Movement recently protested outside the Pakistan Embassy in Vienna.

A similar protest occurred in South Waziristan at the end of July 2024, where residents faced issues of targeted attacks and extortion, as reported by Express Tribune. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)