In a tragic escalation of violence, a 15-year-old girl was killed in shelling by a Pak Army gunship helicopter in the Tirah Maidan region, near the Afghan border. In April, in a similar tragic incident, the Punjabi Pakistan Army killed three more innocent Pashtuns, including two children. This underscores the continued brutality faced by the Pashtun community at the hands of the Pak military.
The Tirah Maidan area, heavily monitored by the Pak Army due to its proximity to Afghanistan, has once again become a site of tragic violence. The region has seen increased military activity in recent times, reflecting the deteriorating relationship between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban.
In an alarming pattern, the Punjabi Pak Army has intensified its scrutiny of Pashtuns living on both sides of the border, using the pretext of security to justify aggressive tactics. This approach, however, has dire consequences for the local population. The heavy-handed actions of the Punjabi Pak Army, driven by ethnic biases and geopolitical tensions, have resulted to suffering and loss of life among innocent Pashtuns.
The situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is exacerbated by the historical exploitation and marginalization of the Pashtun community by the Punjabi-dominated Pak Army. Since the military’s occupation of the Khyber region in 1947, Pashtuns have endured relentless violence and exploitation. The Army’s tactics include indiscriminate shelling, abductions, extrajudicial killings, and staged encounters, all contributing to a pervasive climate of fear and instability.