KP residents flock to streets in protest against recent surge of terrorism

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa residents flocked to the streets to protest against the recent surge of terrorism in the region on Friday.

Rallies took place while Pakistan is experiencing a wave of terrorism primarily in KP but also in Balochistan and the bordering KP town of Mianwali in Punjab. Terrorist attack also spread to Islamabad’s outskirts.

Around 300 people predominantly police officers had gathered for prayers at a mosque in Peshawar’s Red Zone on January 30 when a huge explosion tore through the building. 101 individuals were killed after a suicide explosion destroyed the inner ceiling and the prayer hall’s inner wall.

January was the worst month since 2018 when 134 people, a 139 percent increase, died and 254 were injured in at least 44 extremist strikes around the country.

In the Shangla area of KP on Friday a number of protests were conducted and sponsored by regional rights organisations. Various political party leaders including those from the PTI, PPP, Awami National Party (ANP) and others spoke at the rallies.

The protesters, who were waving white flags, sought both enduring calm in the area and justice for the horrifying bomb victims in Peshawar on January 30.

When the main rally reached the Alpuri district office it had grown significantly as more people had joined it since it had started in the Karora region. The speakers complained that the relevant authorities only seemed interested in politics and did not appear to care about protecting citizens.