On Saturday, a big peace rally was held in the Lakki Marwat city following the three terror attacks on the Pakistan Army installations here on Thursday night. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets to record their protest against the ever-deteriorating law and order situation as they carried banners and black and white flags, raising slogans against lawlessness and in favour of peace and harmony. This is not the first time these demands have been made; the residents of these areas have suffered a lot and their anger is understandable.
People from all walks of life joined the protest, including political workers of all parties, civil society, lawyers and students. As per reports, on Friday, the Olasi Pasawon Lakki Marwat gave a call for the protest after terrorists attacked a local college where the army is camped. During the protests, the participants also passed a resolution on this occasion to name the Kargil Chowk as Aman Chowk as they made it clear to the government and everyone that no military operation will be tolerated.
It is important to remember that Lakki is one of the most volatile districts in K-P since the fall of Kabul to Taliban after the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. Furthermore, the residents of these areas have suffered in multiple iterations of the war on terror. The displacement, economic hardship, and ethnic discrimination faced by the residents has understandably made them wary of kinetic operations. The residents claim that they are willing to offer sacrifices for the restoration of peace, but they won’t leave their houses in case the government decides to launch a large-scale operation against terrorists.
This is of course a delicate situation, and the state needs to listen with an open mind and heart. These residents have suffered immensely, not just as a result of the war on terror, but also because of neglect. The region is considered to be lucrative because of underground gas and oil reserves, but little attention has been paid to the poor road infrastructure and lack of other facilities above the ground. Even earlier during the year, residents had asked the government to take notice of broken roads and the unavailability of basic amenities of life in the region. The growing frustration is palpable and the state needs to work overtime to assuage concerns and rebuild trust with the residents of these troubled areas.