The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered an inquiry into an alleged ‘drone strike’ that killed nine members of the Gujjar community, as the group warned of protests against the killings.
According to the community, nine of its members — all shepherds — were killed in strike launched as part of a counter-terrorism operation in the Shamozai area of Katlang Mardan on Saturday.
The provincial government had earlier said the casualties were ‘collateral damage’.
But Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur condemned the civilian casualties and ordered an inquiry.
The provincial government will clear its position on the incident only after the inquiry report,” Mr Gandapur said in a statement issued on Sunday.
The incident triggered protests in Shamozai and adjacent areas as the victims’ relatives, along with locals, placed the dead bodies on the Swat Motorway and held up traffic for hours.
They accused the security forces of carrying out the strike, which claimed the lives of shepherds who had temporarily settled in Katlang for winter before their annual migration back to Upper Swat in the summer.
While citing official reports, Mr Gandapur said an operation in the area on Saturday morning resulted in the killing of 12 terrorists.
He claimed that “hardcore terrorists” have been killed in past operations in the area as well.
However, he assured the alleged death of civilians in the operation will be “thoroughly probed”.
The KP CM added that his government was committed to rooting out militancy from the province.
Protest warning
The victims’ funeral in the Ghaligey ground of Barikot, in their native region of Swat on Sunday, was attended by a large number of people.
A massive protest following the funeral urged the government to “take the matter seriously” and investigate the deaths.
“Our elders have decided that the entire Gujar community from across the country will gather here in Malakand and march towards Islamabad to demand justice,” the protestors stated.
They demanded an independent inquiry into the incident and warned of a march towards Islamabad after Eidul Fitr if their demands were not met.
The protesters also criticised the statement of Barrister Saif, the adviser to KP chief minister, who said militants were killed in the strike.
The protesters insisted that the victims were innocent civilians and that the attack represented a grave intelligence failure.
PTI provincial president Junaid Akber also visited the victims’ families and condemned the killings.
He also expressed his dismay over the statements by federal and KP officials wherein they had stated that militants were killed in the attack.
“First innocent people were killed and then were dubbed as terrorists,” Mr Akber said.
A protest was also held by the Matorzai tribe in Charbagh area of Swat against the killings.
