HRCP slams deadly drone strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; demands probe, civilian safety measures

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 29 (ANI): The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed deep concerns regarding the ongoing drone and quadcopter strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which are reported to have resulted in civilian deaths, including those of children, and has called for a thorough investigation as well as improved measures to safeguard civilians.
"HRCP is deeply concerned over continued reports of suspected drone and quadcopter strikes in different areas across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which have allegedly led to deaths and injuries among civilians, including minors. A recent such attack reportedly occurred while young people were playing volleyball. This is a tragic indictment of the region's persistent insecurity. Residents allege that ordinary people become collateral damage in such incidents. HRCP demands an urgent and transparent investigation into such repeated incidents and calls on the state to prioritise civilian protection in conflict-affected regions," according to a post shared by HRCP on X.
Earlier, Fazal ur Rehman Afridi, an activist from the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), has strongly condemned the recent drone strike carried out by the Pakistan Army in Hurmuz, North Waziristan, which led to the deaths of four young children and their mother.
In an interview with ANI, Afridi asserted that the Pakistani military is treating the Pashtun-populated areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a "laboratory" for testing a variety of weapons, particularly drones.
He revealed that there have been over 32 drone strikes in the districts of North and South Waziristan and Tank during recent years. "This is not the first occasion where the Pakistani army has attacked innocent Pashtun civilians, especially women and children," he remarked, emphasising that the latest victims were children between the ages of five and eight.
Previously, the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and the Baloch Advocacy and Studies Centre (BASC) collaborated in a significant meeting in London to draw attention to the ongoing human rights abuses occurring in Pakistan's Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions.
The meeting, which took place on Sunday, united key members and activists from both groups who reside in the United Kingdom. The attendees expressed grave concern about the worsening human rights conditions and showed solidarity with the Baloch and Pashtun communities facing systemic oppression in Pakistan. (ANI)