Milit@nts Being Sheltered in KP Tribal Areas, Says Ikhtiar Wali
Ikhtiar Wali Khan, the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Information for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Affairs, has claimed that milit@nts are being sheltered in the tribal districts of the province. He warned that this local support forces security agencies to launch operations in these areas.
His statement came soon after deadly incidents in KP’s Tirah valley. At least two dozen people, including women and children, reportedly lost their lives in explosions. The strikes triggered widespread protests, with tribesmen and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan demanding an inquiry.
However, officials rejected claims of aerial strikes. They argued that the blasts occurred because milit@nts stored and manufactured explosives inside houses. This conflicting narrative has added fuel to the already heated debate.
Speaking on TV’s program , Wali was asked about PTI’s mixed stance on milit@ry operations. He responded that residents must avoid sheltering wanted individuals. “Our brothers, sisters, and elders should not make these people their guests,” he stressed.
Wali insisted that the presence of milit@nts cannot be explained otherwise. “Someone has to be facilitating them. Without local support, they would not survive in these regions,” he said. He also noted that such facilitation puts civilians at risk whenever operations take place.
Pakistan has seen a surge in viol*nt incidents, especially in KP and Balochistan, since the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its peace deal with the government in 2022. Since then, milit@nts have stepped up att@cks on security forces and law enforcement.
Several recent incidents highlight the rising threat. In Bajaur, a bomb blast killed one person during a cricket match. In North Waziristan, a quadcopter strike killed four children and injured others, sparking protests. Earlier this year in Mardan, 11 people, including women and children, died in what locals called a drone strike but officials said was an operation.
These repeated tragedies show the difficult balance between tackling milit@ncy and protecting civilians. Wali’s remarks underline the government’s view that ending local facilitation is crucial to restoring peace in the tribal belt.
