MIRANSHAH – Tensions continue to rise in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal district, as a peaceful sit-in protest entered its fifth day on Friday, reported by the Express Tribune. Angry and heartbroken tribesmen from the Mir Ali tehsil have gathered to demand justice after a deadly drone strike earlier this week claimed the lives of four innocent children and left several women critically injured.
The tragic incident occurred in the Hormuz area, where a quadcopter dropped explosives on a family home. Among the victims were siblings, all under the age of ten. Their mother and other women from the household were badly wounded. The community is in mourning, and the air hangs heavy with grief and outrage.
Protesters have condemned the attack as an inhumane act, calling it a brutal violation of human rights. The strike has sparked widespread anger in the region, once part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), now integrated into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
While some blame local security forces, the military has denied involvement, labeling such accusations as “baseless” and part of a “disinformation campaign.” In a strongly worded statement, the military claimed the attack was carried out by India-backed militants from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
In an effort to defuse tensions, government officials have sent tribal elders, Sufi mediators, and even traditional gifts, including goats, to negotiate with protest leaders. A planned march to Islamabad was postponed until Monday, but protest leader Mufti Baitullah has warned that unless demands are met, the demonstrators will take the victims’ bodies to the capital.
The message from the tribes is clear: they want truth, justice, and an end to what they call “silent slaughter” in their homeland.
