Locals organise protests in North Waziristan against targeted killings and human rights abuses by Pakistan security forces

Miranshah [Pakistan] August 14 : In the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan thousands of KPK residents gathered on streets to protest against the targeted killings and human rights abuses in their region by Pakistan armed forces the Express Tribune reported.
According to the same report of Express Tribune, local leaders of Utmanzai Jirga, Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and the general public participated in the rally followed by a meeting. The participants in protest also observed a complete shutter-down strike and expressed solidarity towards the victims. The protesters during the event urged that peace was the responsibility of the state and institutions must fulfil their responsibilities.
Notably, the issue of human atrocities by Pakistan armed forces in the KPK region has been repeatedly raised on the international stage. Previously a protest was staged in Vienna outside the Pakistan Embassy, by the members of the Afghan Cultural Association (AKS) in collaboration with the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement's (PTM) Austria wing.

The demonstrators carried banners and placards targeting the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistan Army, accusing them of fostering terrorist entities within Pakistan and attempting to scapegoat the Pashtun community to divert attention from their own culpability.
The voices raised in Vienna are part of a broader demand for justice and accountability, urging the international community to take notice of the ongoing human rights violations in Pakistan.
Earlier Amnesty International has documented allegations of human rights abuses in KPK, including unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, and the mistreatment of detainees. Their reports call for investigations into these abuses and emphasize the need for justice and protection for victims.
Another group International Crisis Group had raised concerns over the impact of military operations on civilian populations in KPK, including the abuse of power by security forces and the failure to protect human rights during counterinsurgency operations. Their reports offer in-depth insights into the operational challenges and human rights implications.