Pak forces open fire on protesters in KP

Bannu (Pakistan), July 19

Pakistani forces reportedly opened fire on peaceful Pashtun protesters who had gathered to raise their voices against the increasing incidents of terrorism in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) district on Friday.

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) member Qazi Muhammad Tahir stated on ‘X’, “Today, dozens of people were injured and several martyred by firing from Bannu Army Cantt on Bannu peace march.”

The PTM, in its statement, called the Pakistani Army the “biggest terrorist organisation in the world” and stressed the need to “get rid” of them.

“In Bannu, the army is sending a message through street firing that the army does not want peace at all. The name of peace on the flag was reddened with the blood of Pashtuns. The Pakistani army is the biggest terrorist organization in the world. And getting rid of this terrorist organization is the solution to the overall problem of Pashtuns. Pakistani army is terrorist,” it stated on X.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Khan Marwat also criticised the incident and said the recent shootings was “disheartening.” “The shootings against peaceful protestors in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is disheartening to witness such brutality inflicted upon innocent Pakistanis, exercising their fundamental right to peaceful protest,” he said on X.