KP govt apologises for civilian casualties in Mardan operation; probe underway – Pakistan

Swat MPA Dr Amjad Ali uploaded a video statement to his Facebook page today, claiming that the operation was a “drone strike” in which nine civilians were killed.

“This morning, a tragic incident took place in the Katlang area, where a family belonging to the Gujjar community was hit in a drone attack,” the lawmaker said.

“Nine people were martyred in the strike, who have thus far been identified and some children are still missing. Dead bodies are difficult to identify because of their condition,” he added.

Dr Ali continued, “I want to ask the federal government and the authorities: what crime did these people commit? These people were grazing cattle in the mountains and hail from Swat. These mountainous areas in Swat and Mardan are connected.

“The real problem is that we are not being allowed to enter the area and collect the bodies,” he added. “We were told, ‘You will not collect dead bodies, you will not film videos here’. These people were locals from Swat, it is not as if they crossed the border.

“These are peaceful people who have lived here for thousands of years.”

Meanwhile, members of the Gujjar community staged a protest in KP’s Swat district today against the incident. The demonstrators similarly told Dawn.com that the incident was a drone strike and that nine people belonging to the same family were killed.

The demonstrators blamed security forces for carrying out the strike, which claimed the lives of shepherds who had temporarily settled in the Katlang area for the winter before their annual migration back to Upper Swat in the summer with their livestock.

The deceased, all belonging to the Gujjar community, were identified as Hazrat Bilal, Noor Muhammad, Wazir, Amroz Khan, Shahazada alias Shah Da, two women, and two children.

Grief-stricken relatives placed the bodies on the Swat Motorway, blocking both lanes in a demonstration demanding justice. A heavy police contingent was deployed at the scene to maintain order.

Jannat Gul, a relative of the victims, told Dawn.com, “Nine people were killed in a drone strike in the Katlang area.”

Lamenting the tragedy, he added, “We are a peaceful shepherd community engaged in seasonal migration. We move to lower regions in winter and return to Upper Swat in the summer to graze our animals. We carry only small sticks to tend to our livestock and sickles to cut grass.”

Jalat Khan, a leader of the Gujjar community in Swat, called for justice and urged the government to compensate the bereaved families under the martyrs’ package. He warned that if their demands were not met, “the entire Gujjar community will take to the streets after Eidul Fitr”.

Demonstrators also pressed the authorities to register a first information report regarding the killings, threatening further demonstrations and another blockade of the Swat Motorway if their call for justice was ignored.