A devastating airstrike by Pakistan Army targeted the bustling Pir Mela Bazaar in the Zakhakhel area of Tirah Valley, resulting in injuries to dozens of innocent civilians, including young children. The attack, which took place recently, raises serious concerns about the military’s aggressive tactics against Pashtuns.
The airstrike struck during peak hours, inflicted chaos and terror among the local population. Many of the injured were transported to Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar for urgent medical care, with activists urging the community to come forward for blood donations to aid the victims.
This assault on civilians highlights the ongoing military operations in the Pashtun belt, where the Punjabi Pak Army has increasingly resorted to targeting public, in the name of counterinsurgency strategies. The growing confidence in the Pashtun Jirga signals that the end of Pakistan’s military-driven dollar war in the region may be near. Therefore, the Pakistan Army is using airstrikes as a blunt instrument to crack down on the Pashtuns, who have risen to protest against the Punjabi Army elites for the suppression of the Pashtun population in their own land.