Pak: Baloch Yakjehti Committee condemns drone strike in Waziristan, calls it Pashtun genocide

Quetta (Balochistan) [Pakistan], May 20 (ANI): The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has strongly condemned recent drone strikes in North Waziristan, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of several civilians, including children.

In a statement released on social media platform X, the BYC described the attack as part of a "systematic genocide" of the Pashtun people and called for a united resistance among oppressed communities across the region.

"We strongly condemn the drone attacks on civilian homes in North Waziristan, the brutal massacre of children, and the ongoing genocide of the Pashtun people. For decades, Pashtun lands have been subjected to state oppression, violence, and military brutality," the BYC stated.

The group drew parallels between the state's actions in Waziristan and those in Balochistan, where they allege similar patterns of military aggression, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings targeting the Baloch population.

"Just as the state is pursuing a systematic policy of genocide against the Baloch nation in Balochistan, a similar pattern of state violence and brutality continues in Pashtun territories as well. Shelling civilian populations and drone attacks have become routine actions, which are blatant violations of human rights," the statement added.

The BYC urged solidarity among marginalised and oppressed groups, calling for a united front against what it described as a "tyrannical system." "We believe that all oppressed nations must unite and struggle together against state oppression and brutality. Only this united resistance and people's power can defeat this tyrannical system," it said.

The statement comes amid rising tensions in Pakistan's north western tribal regions, where military operations continue under the pretext of counterterrorism. Civil rights groups have increasingly raised alarms about civilian casualties and the lack of transparency in military actions.

Civil rights organisations in Pakistan and abroad have consistently raised serious concerns about the high number of civilian casualties resulting from military operations, particularly in regions like North Waziristan and Balochistan. These groups highlight the lack of transparency in how these operations are conducted, with limited access for independent media or human rights observers.

Reports of drone strikes, shelling of civilian areas, and extrajudicial killings have intensified fears of widespread human rights violations.

Activists argue that labelling such actions as counterterrorism often serves to justify state violence, while affected communities face trauma, displacement, and a lack of legal recourse or accountability mechanisms. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)