Protest was staged on call of trader community in Bannu, where complete shutter-down strike was observed       Residents take part in a peace rally to protest after the recent suicide attack by militants on an army enclave in Bannu, on July 19, 2024. — AFP

BANNU: Two persons were killed and 20 others injured in a firing incident as thousands of people on Friday staged a protest rally in Bannu district against worsening law and order.

The protest was staged on the call of the trader community in Bannu, where a complete shutter-down strike was observed. The people from all walks of life, activists of the political parties, members of the civil society organizations had turned up in huge numbers to attend the protest.

Holding white flags and chanting slogans for the restoration of peace, the protesters converged on Paradi Chowk, which could not accommodate them, prompting them to start marching towards the Sports Complex.

A young man was killed and several others were injured in firing on the Juma Khan Road when the protesters were heading towards the Sports Complex. The local authorities held talks with the protesters to persuade them to remain peaceful.

Many people were injured due to the stampede as a large number of people had gathered near the Sports Complex in Bannu city. However, some people sustained bullet injuries. Though it was not clear as to who had fired at the protesters. The authorities in Bannu are tightlipped about the incident. A spokesperson for Khalifa Gul Nawaz Hospital in Bannu told the media that one body and 23 injured had been brought to the health facility.

He said many people were injured due to the stampede as a large number of people were participating in the rally. Reports said that people belonging to Lakki Marwat, Karak, North Waziristan and other adjacent places had arrived in Bannu to participate in the protest.

The protesters were demanding action against the armed groups operating in Bannu city and its adjoining areas. The representatives of the trader community and lawyers addressed the mammoth rally.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmad of Jamaat-e-Islami, Bannu Qaumi Mahaz head Pir Syed Qaiser Abbas Shah, Head of Ulema-e-Ittehad Maulana Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi, President of Anjuman-e-Tajiran Dr Abdul Rauf Qureshi, Nasir Khan of Bannu Chamber of Commerce, Ghulam Qaibaz Khan, Pir Kamal Shah, Junaid Rasheed, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Engineer Malik Ehsan Khan, District Bar Association President Shah Qayaz Bacha, General Secretary Shoaib Khan Sadozai, Provincial General Secretary of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Malik Haroon Khan, Secretary Taimur Baz Khan, Faheem Azad Advocate, Abdul Samad Khan, Provincial General Secretary of National Democratic Movement Nadeem Askar and others addressed the gathering.

They said that armed groups were operating in Bannu and they had established over 40 offices in Bannu city and its suburbs. The speakers said that the state writ had shrunk in Bannu as suspected militants were operating there. They said that the armed groups were patrolling Bannu city and the rural areas at night.

They said that rising acts of terrorism had affected the businesses of the local people.

The law and order has worsened in various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa particularly the southern districts, including Bannu. The law and order had deteriorated in Bannu in recent weeks, which prompted the local elders and the members of the trader community to give a call for the protest.

Recently a group of suicide bombers had attacked the supply depot in the Bannu cantonment. The incident had left eight personnel of the security forces martyred. Around 10 militants were killed in the attack.

On Tuesday, hundreds of people led by the trader community had staged a protest demonstration, demanding the government to tackle the worsening law and order.

The Bannu Chamber of Commerce and Industry had organized the protest to voice their concern over the deteriorating law and order in the district.

On that occasion, the representatives of the traders had announced that the business community would observe a complete shutter-down strike on July 19. Adviser to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had taken notice of the incident and directed the authorities to submit a detailed report.

He said that the chief minister was overseeing the situation. He said that the commissioner and the deputy commissioner Bannu were holding talks with the protesters to defuse the tension and bring the situation under control.

Barrister Saif said that the government had announced a compensation package for the slain and injured persons. He said that the chief minister had directed the health authorities to provide the best medical facilities to the injured. He said that the incident would be investigated and the ones involved in the firing incident would be punished.

Meanwhile, the Awami National Party condemned the firing over the participants of the peace march and demanded an impartial inquiry into the incident.

In a statement, ANP President Senator Aimal Wali Khan said his party had always opposed war and violence and advocated for peace on the soil of the Pakhtuns.

He said opening straight and indiscriminate firing at peaceful protesters of Amn March was a shameful act which had exposed the State policy on terrorism. “Such acts on part of state institutions would further enhance sense of deprivation among the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who have already suffered due to militancy,” the ANP leader said and added the protesters in Faizabad in Islamabad were given cash amount while the participants of the peace rally in Bannu were awarded with bullets.

He demanded impartial inquiry to determine who had ordered firing at the participants of the peace rally, adding that exemplary punishment should be given to those found guilty of this act. He said that the ANP fully supports the demands of Bannu Pasoon for lasting peace in their area.

In a separate statement, ANP provincial President ANP Mian Iftikhar Hussain also demanded an impartial inquiry into the firing incident as the security forces had denied firing at the rally.

“Such incidents may lead to internal fighting, chaos and hatred towards the state and its institutions if a proper probe is not conducted by the government,” he said.

The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party also condemned the firing incident and demanded an inquiry into it.

PkMAP provincial spokesperson Humayun Khan said staging protest was the constitutional right of the citizens. He urged the government to take steps to bring the situation under control. He said such an incident would ignite hate among the people.