Dozens of residents and activists have launched a sit-in in the northwestern North Waziristan tribal district demanding an investigation into the killing of a man during a search operation.
Mir Kalam Wazir, a lawmaker representing the tribal district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province’s legislature, told RFE/RL that the protesters on December 14 placed the coffin of the slain Aminuallh in the main square of Mirali town.
Wazir said the man was shot dead on December 13 by the security forces during a police search to find suspected militants.
Jamal Dawar, an activist and member of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), said the killing took place in the nearby town of Khaisor.
He said Aminuallh was innocent.
A district administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the authorities were negotiating with locals to end their protest.
It was not clear under which circumstances Aminuallh was killed, according to the official.
Pakistan's seven northwestern tribal districts, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, have long been a militant stronghold, including for Taliban fighters. In 2014, security forces conducted a massive operation in North Waziristan and claimed the area had been cleared of militant groups.
But local residents have protested against what they say is brutality by security forces. Residents also complain that targeted killings have increased over the past year, raising concerns of a return of the Taliban and other militants to the area.
