Sit-in against drone strike enters 5th day
The quad-copter dropped explosives on a house in the Hormuz area of Mir Ali earlier this week, killing four children from the same family and critically injuring their mother along with some other women. The attack has triggered widespread outrage, with local tribesmen and activists condemning it as a violation of human rights.
Fingers were pointed the security forces following the tragic incident. However, the military said on May 19 that "these claims are entirely baseless and are part of a coordinated disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the security forces' steadfast efforts in the ongoing counterterrorism operations."
The military's media wing added that a comprehensive investigation initiated after the incident has established that "this heinous act has been orchestrated and executed by India-sponsored Fitna Al Khwarij" — a reference to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which has officially be designated as such.
"It is evident that these elements — acting at the behest of their Indian masters — continue to exploit civilian areas and vulnerable populations as shields to conduct their reprehensible acts of terrorism," it further stated, adding that such tactics aims to unsuccessfully sow discord between the local population and the security forces.
Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to find a negotiated end to the sit-in. Mufti Baitullah, a spokesperson for the Utmanzai tribe, stated that the district administration had sent a traditional delegation along with two goats and Sufi mediators as part of a Nanawatey (tribal reconciliation gesture). Subsequently, the sit-in organisers postponed a planned march to Islamabad until Monday as a goodwill gesture.
However, Mufti Baitullah warned that if the government fails to address their demands by then, protesters will march to the capital with the bodies of the victims.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
'Pakistan cannot survive without IMF'
Federal Minister for Investment, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, has said that Pakistan's economy cannot function without the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stressing that the country's survival and recovery are not possible without IMF support. Speaking at a post-budget seminar at Isra University, Sheikh said Pakistan is currently serving as a "gateway to global economic affairs" in the aftermath of the Pakistan-India conflict. He maintained that Pakistan offers some of the best investment opportunities in the region. "Seventeen months ago, Pakistan was heading toward default, and the currency was rapidly depreciating. Now, there are signs of improvement. But the fact remains, without the IMF our economy cannot progress. The IMF is instilling financial discipline that previous governments failed to maintain," Sheikh said. He acknowledged that over 50 percent of Pakistan's population still lives below the poverty line and that citizens are struggling. "People's living conditions are not improving, but with IMF support, expenditures are reducing and revenues increasing," he added. Commenting on regional dynamics, Sheikh said that India's economy is also slowing, while Pakistan has resources and opportunities to lead in the region, provided political and governance challenges are addressed. The minister admitted that insecurity in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan has hampered investment in coal mining and other sectors but said that the government, with support from security institutions, is working to improve the situation. He emphasized that the government is committed to attracting foreign investment, reducing the trade deficit, supporting SMEs, and enhancing entrepreneurial capacity among youth. Isra University Vice Chancellor Dr. Ahmed Waliullah Qazi, in his welcome address, highlighted the role of universities in linking policy, industry, and society. Dr. Hameedullah Qazi, President and CEO of Isra Islamic Foundation, said academic institutions play a vital role in raising awareness about fiscal policies and economic challenges. The seminar also featured senior economist Dr. Shahida Wizarat from IoBM Karachi, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Mirza Aqeel Baig, Associate Professor and Head of Economics at IoBM. Panelists included MPA Engineer Sabir Qaimkhani, Syed Aftab Mehmood Zaidi, who discussed the corporate sector's role in job creation; State Bank Assistant Director Israr Ahmed, who spoke on financial inclusion; Dr. Ismail Nami, former Vice President of Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders, who raised SME concerns.
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistanis under rubble: here and there
Pakistan, born against many odds, has survived despite incomprehensible antagonisms over seventy-eight years of independence — no trifling triumph. Those who enabled this survival were mostly gumnam sipahi (unsung soldiers) or people who faced frightful fates. Although the country has changed, with East Pakistan no longer hers and Karachi no longer her capital, Pakistan continues to make strides in many fields, from fashion and entertainment to nuclear capability. Marka-e-Haq (battle of truth) heightens the joy of this year's 14th August. Pakistanis' ability to create memes in the middle of a war is admirable, but as a medical doctor I get concerned too. TV channels have convinced us that all of us are equal, and even the masses who continue to suffer (perhaps without realisation) from the impact of social injustices, erased histories and moral bankruptcy, celebrate jashn. Sadly, Nature has its own laws. The criminal silence of the elite segment of civil society, who cannot go beyond fancy titles and slogans and apple-polishing those in power to secure a slot in foreign trips, and the criminal negligence of successive governments in responding to the impact of climate change, are taking their toll. While I write these lines, Buner is facing catastrophe, and so are many other areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, while the flood affectees of Sindh have been reduced to passive recipients of a housing scheme that should have been their right in the first place. I am deliberately avoiding statistics related to the human face of such crises, because apparently millions of out-of-school children, people living below the poverty line, and the scale of bureaucratic complacency have rarely made anybody feel guilty. The nation is being fed with certain narratives and good ones are rewarded accordingly. From the Nobel Peace Prize to civil awards in our country, there are rarely any undisputed recipients — and this piece is not about the latest ironic awards. I am infuriated that mainstream media largely continues business as usual. There is no emergency telethon, no dashboards, and no actions required in emergencies of this extent. While a large population lies under the real rubble in present-day Pakistan, another group is buried under the rubble of erased history. If anyone is in reflective mode yet once again, they must notice the omission of those 250,000-300,000 shunned Pakistanis still stranded in Bangladesh from any official statement or ceremony. There are inequalities everywhere in Pakistan — from Gilgit-Baltistan to Islamabad Capital Territory, from Turbat to Thar, from Bajaur to Burewala — and no human misery must be trivialised. Yet with a heavy heart I am mentioning this particular issue, as it is the most despised and deserted one. Others at least make it into headlines, hashtags, or academic arguments. The stranded Pakistanis? They are excluded and erased. And here I stand, a lone advocate, raising what no media giant, no human rights darling, no "hero/shero" journalist dares to raise. Nobody is interested in the fate of the inhabitants of "Geneva Camp" in Dhaka, who are facing another calamity created by land mafias and will eventually be evicted. They were never counted, so nobody will notice their disappearance. My claim can be dismissed. But contemplate who gets attention, and what content gets published — certainly not the one I have been conveying for the last 15 years or so. The dominant narrative in our media and academia has been consistent: talk of 1971 is permitted and endorsed only as a one-sided "Bengali genocide" story — a story that too often becomes a suitable style to slander Pakistan. Sympathy flows only in one direction. But where is the truth and reconciliation? Where is the recognition of the Biharis and other non-Bengalis who stood by Pakistan, only to have their lives, properties and heritage destroyed in the liberation war of anti-Pakistan Bengali Mukti Bahnis? A new political bloc, China-Pakistan-Bangladesh, is in the making. Sustainable friendship between Pakistan and Bangladesh is not possible without reconciliation, and the latter means admitting inconvenient truths and taking actions. The reconciliation measures involve both governments, as I have written many times before. Bangladesh must show remorse for the genocide of pro-Pakistanis and for rendering them stateless. Pakistan must complete the unfinished repatriation of those still stranded, as it did for about 170,000 people between 1974 and 1982. And yes, their return can and must be carried out without threatening Sindh's demography through a fair, federated resettlement approach. But here is where my helpless anger sharpens: MQM. Every version of this party has been part of governments in Sindh or at the Federal level. And yet they never made the repatriation of these Pakistanis a priority. They never sought a grand dialogue with Sindhi nationalists for harmony. They never pressured other provincial governments to share resettlement responsibility. Empty slogans, no action. And then the duplicity of our celebrated media and human rights champions! They boost their voices for Balochistan (and yes, Balochistan deserves justice) but why? Because it gives them international appreciation, invitation to global conferences, foreign fellowships. Yet for the stranded Pakistanis, they remain muted. Not one prime-time debate, not one award-winning documentary. Hush. Hush. Hush. So here I am, in monologue. A lone rebel, perhaps, shouting into the void. With no audience, no trending hashtag, no solidarity march. I thank The Express Tribune for occasionally publishing my agony but I know I am looking for justice in an unfair world. After all, even the live-streamed genocide in Gaza has refused to move the hearts and heads of those who matter. And yet, I remind myself: this is my role. As a peace activist. As an advocate for the forgotten. To speak, even when no one listens. To demand, even when no one cares. Remember, even if the nation forgets. Because silence is support. And I will not be complicit.
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Express Tribune
US and India — strategic autonomy or alliance partnership
The writer is a retired major general and has an interest in International Relations and Political Sociology. He can be reached at tayyarinam@ and tweets @20_Inam This piece attempts to deconstruct the imperatives of Sino-India bilateralism in the backdrop of US-China competition. In my piece, "War of Humiliation" in the South Asia magazine (November 2020), discussing the Sino-Indian escalation in Ladakh, I had concluded that expecting India to stand up to China as a bulwark, that the US continues to prop it, is too far-fetched. That China and India would never — willingly or unwillingly — walk into a full-blown war, that is in nobody's interest. If anyone expects India to stand upto to China — doing the US bidding — in a resurrected Great Game 2.0; then it is not knowing India of Chanakya Kautilya (375-283 BC). The wizard, also called Vishnugupta or the Indian Machiavelli, said: "Do not reveal what you have thought of doing... keep it secret being determined to carry it into execution." Fast forward to 2025, there is a lot of debate nudging India to be in a 'partnership alliance' with the US to counter China; as most analysts in the US/European camp, think India cannot do it alone. Some emphasise that 'strengthening Quad' (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprising Australia, India, Japan and America) would be a good starting point for New Delhi. Realising that India is a 'hedging' middle power, eager to play both if not all sides, the US think-tanks deduce that transfer of more sophisticated and advanced technology to India would depend upon India's overt anti-Beijing credentials. The basic premise of such thinking is that a shooting Sino-Indian war is inevitable, and that militarily embroiling China through India is cost effective and makes strategic sense. This is a faulty presumption, just like encouraging Ukraine, a militarily weaker side, to go on the offensive against a militarily stronger Russia that was on the defensive, in the much-touted Ukrainian counter offensive in 2023, that failed. The recent chasm in the US-India relations emanate from India profiting from the Russian oil imports, debunking sanctions; Indian protectionism in trade against US agricultural products; Modi's refusal to acknowledge President Trump's role in the May 2025 Pakistan-India ceasefire; and the less than expected tenacity by India in the cited conflict. However, these are transient factors originating from the 'Trump Factor', who is in his last presidential term. There are compelling reasons for Washington to keep India in its orbit and repair the damaged relations, even if New Delhi is not very forthcoming. First, in the US strategic construct China, Iran, North Korea and Russia make a substantial 'authoritative scale (mass of alliance power)' presenting a unified challenge, needing a unified response. Moreover, China under President Xi has moved away from its confrontational 'wolf warrior' diplomacy, with emerging profile in the Global South, Africa in particular. Its BRI networks 126 countries through highways, railways, pipelines, power plants, grids, IT, social welfare and poverty-alleviation projects. BRI's staggering investment of over $1.3 trillion will ultimately cover 60% of the world population and 40% of its GDP, providing a viable economic alternative, catapulting the present US-led predatory economic system. Second, America's inability to compete with both China and Russia, requires 'strategic diplomacy', some US analysts emphasise. Its core purpose being 'cultivating favourable balances of power in critical regions' to project power far beyond material means. Strategic diplomacy aims to limit rival's options, without seeking to remove the sources of conflict. The US is moving past the age of 'globalized utopia', of being the single-most powerful hegemon, enjoying comprehensive security enabled by techno-military capabilities. It gravitates towards alliance partnerships and strategic diplomacy. And under its 'pivot to Asia' strategy, building the largest anti-China coalition, India stands out to bridge the gap between Washington's rhetoric and capabilities. US analysts feel Biden Administration was unable to properly cultivate New Delhi against Beijing. They feel Trump should nudge India closer 'as an ally on the level of Japan or NATO partners'. Will India do the US bidding willingly, under coercion or under inducements? The straight answer is no, under any conditions. Way back in a meeting with the US officials, when asked to analyse the US-India potential relationship, my answer was to 'go ahead and find out'. However, much that India will drag its feet on becoming involved in bloc politics, alliance partnership with the US, and ignore its 'strategic autonomy', Washington will persistently deploy the pressure-inducement combo to rope in New Delhi against China. Even if that means making India, as some suggest, a regional policeman and hegemon in South Asia, deferring to its advice and actions concerning other countries like Pakistan. The other touted US 'deputy sheriffs' to include Australia in Pacific Islands, Vietnam in continental Southeast Asia and Nigeria in Africa. Expecting India to go against one of its largest trading partners (despite an otherwise obscure border conflict), is not understanding geo-economics and history. First, Sino-India annual trade is over $100 for the third consecutive year. It was $124 billion for FY2024. Second, India has historically conceded against formidable adversaries, from Afghans to Moghuls to Portuguese to the British. That historic constant has not changed, Modi or no Modi. Third, militarily, Indian discussions concede China's conventional and nuclear advantage. India responds to this "conventional asymmetry" through infrastructural build-up, force modernisation and new raisings, compared to Beijing's better military infrastructure, capabilities, and logistics. The Indian security establishment remains concerned about greater survivability of Indian forces on the battlefield, in an environment of uncontrolled escalation, instead of investing in new weapon platforms especially the nuclear ones. However, paradoxically, the cited asymmetry also serves as a strong catalyst for peaceful co-existence. It is, therefore, no surprise that India gravitates towards better relations with Beijing under its 'Look East Policy', burnished by the recent chasm with Washington. When China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi on August 18, 2025, during his two-day visit to New Delhi emphasised both nations to view each other as 'partners' and not 'adversaries or threats'; his Indian counterpart Jaishankar acknowledged the Chinese overtures, saying both countries were seeking to 'move ahead from a difficult period in our relations'. Wang met Premier Modi on Tuesday, reaffirming 'positive trend' in the bilateral ties. In sum, India it too smart to fall for the US trap.
