By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The military on Wednesday rejected accusations that it was behind a deadly strike that killed four children in North Waziristan, instead blaming militant groups and their alleged Indian sponsors for the attack and a related disinformation campaign.
The strike occurred on May 19 in Hurmuz village, a remote area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mir Ali tehsil. Local reports indicate a quad-copter dropped ammunition on a home, killing four children—aged eight years to two months—from one family and wounding five others, including a woman. The injured remain under treatment at Mir Ali tehsil hospital, some in critical condition.
The incident has ignited local fury. Since Sunday, residents have blocked Mir Ali Chowk in a sit-in, refusing to bury the victims until authorities address their demands for justice.
In a statement, the military’s media arm, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), dismissed allegations of involvement as “baseless” and tied them to a “coordinated disinformation campaign” aimed at undermining its counterterrorism efforts.
“Initial findings have established that this heinous act has been orchestrated and executed by Indian-sponsored Fitna Al Khwarij,” the ISPR said, using the term the state uses to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
“Following a tragic incident on May 19, 2025, in the general area of Mir Ali, North Waziristan district, which regrettably resulted in civilian casualties, unfounded and misleading allegations have been circulated by certain quarters, falsely implicating Pakistan’s security forces.”
The statement said “these elements—acting at the behest of their Indian masters—continue to exploit civilian areas and vulnerable populations as shields to conduct their reprehensible acts of terrorism.”
“Such tactics aim to unsuccessfully sow discord between the local population and the security forces, who together remain resolute to uproot the menace of terrorism.”
The military termed the incident as a calculated move to undermine its counterterrorism efforts, asserting that such tactics “aim to unsuccessfully sow discord between the local population and the security forces, who together remain resolute to uproot the menace of terrorism.”
“These claims are entirely baseless and are part of a coordinated disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the security forces’ steadfast efforts in the ongoing counterterrorism operations.”
North Waziristan, a rugged border region, has been a focal point of Pakistan’s fight against militancy for years, with the TTP and other groups staging attacks that have claimed countless lives. Civilian casualties, whether from military operations or militant actions, have often deepened mistrust and fueled unrest.
The ISPR emphasized its resolve, stating that security forces reaffirmed “their commitment to ensuring that the perpetrators of this inhuman act are brought to justice.”
A day earlier, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed alarm over the incident in a post on social platform X.
“While the source of the strike remains unclear, the reportedly continued use of drones in civilian areas is deeply concerning and constitutes a grave violation of human rights, including the fundamental right to life,” it said. “HRCP supports the local community’s demand for an independent investigation into the incident.”
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
