North Waziristan bridge blast exposes Pakistan's hollow claims of security control

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], January 14 (ANI): A key bridge over the Kurram River in North Waziristan's Shewah tehsil was destroyed after unknown militants used powerful explosives to blow up the structure. The bridge collapsed completely, cutting off transport between Shewah, Miranshah, Bannu and nearby localities, as reported by Dawn.
According to Dawn, residents stated that the explosion thundered across several kilometres, jolting communities already on edge due to years of militancy and state operations. Local accounts suggest that the assailants planted a heavy cache of explosives beneath the bridge during pre-dawn hours, taking advantage of weak surveillance in the district. Security personnel reached the scene after the blast, cordoning off the area and launching an inquiry whose outcome, critics note, may follow the familiar pattern of inconclusive probes seen across the former FATA region.
The demolished structure had long served as a lifeline for civilians, students, patients, traders, daily wage workers and government employees who relied on it for routine movement. Its destruction has severely disrupted access to healthcare centres, markets and administrative services, forcing residents to depend on longer, hazardous alternative routes. Even minor infrastructure disruptions in the region tend to paralyse daily life due to chronic underdevelopment and the absence of reliable fallback routes, as highlighted by Dawn.
Local sources added that the same bridge was occasionally used by security convoys, deepening suspicion that the attack may have been a deliberate attempt to undermine Pakistan's already brittle grip over North Waziristan. Tribal elder Malik Islam Khan condemned the bombing, calling it a "malicious act targeting innocent people who have repeatedly suffered for no fault of their own." Other elders demanded immediate accountability and stronger safeguards for public infrastructure. Political leader Abdullah Khan stated that the attack was an effort to sabotage the fragile peace for which the people of North Waziristan had paid an enormous price. He urged authorities to ensure meaningful protection rather than symbolic measures, as reported by Dawn. (ANI)