The Bannu Peace March drew thousands of citizens and tribal elders on Sunday to protest the deteriorating security situation in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
During the demonstration, speakers highlighted that rising incidents of target killing, extortion, and kidnapping have made daily life difficult for residents. Consequently, the tribal leadership has summoned a Grand Peace Jirga on April 2 at the local office of Jamaat-e-Islami to decide on a future course of action.
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Demands for Legal and Administrative Relief
Participants of the Bannu Peace March presented a list of immediate demands to the provincial and federal authorities. Specifically, the national jirga demanded the withdrawal of all criminal cases registered against tribal leaders following the July 2024 protests. They also demanded that all elderly people in detention be released right away in order to rebuild public confidence in the government.
The marchers, led by Chief of Meriyan Malik Dilnawaz Khan and District Bar President Akbarullah Advocate, stated that the local population will not accept any military operations in the district. Instead, they urged the government to focus on professional policing and the rule of law to curb the recent crime wave.
Infrastructure and Economic Disruptions
In addition to security grievances, the Bannu Peace March focused on the prolonged closure of critical transit routes. For over a year, the authorities have kept major roads—including Miranshah Road, Kot Barara, and Amandi Hanif Road—blocked for traffic. These closures have severely disrupted mobility and crippled local economic activity.
Therefore, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and the Ghee Dealers Association warned that the business community currently suffers from an acute sense of insecurity. Ultimately, the speakers maintained that the government must reopen these essential links to prevent further economic decline in the region.
