By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Pakistan’s restive Bajaur district have ordered residents of 26 villages in Lowi Mamund and War Mamund tehsils to evacuate by 10am on August 16, as security forces escalate a targeted military operation against militants in the rugged mountainous region, officials said on Thursday.
The evacuation directive, posted on the deputy commissioner’s official Facebook page, affects communities including Malangi, Sapary, Dawowgi, Mena Sulman Khail Khoorchai, Zagai, Gat, Agra, Gondai, Zari, Nakhtat, Mula Kalley, Bakaroo, Gohati, Chimialoo, Lar Kalan, Bar Kalan, Choohtra, Damadola, and Inam Khoro Chinagi.
The notification described the move as a temporary measure to ensure civilian safety during a “planned targeted operation” aimed at permanently eliminating militant presence in the area.
Officials in the area said security forces have already neutralised nine militants in the ongoing operation in Bajaur’s Damadola area, leveraging credible intelligence. The operation, combining ground troops and aerial support, has focused on dismantling terrorist hideouts, with officials saying militants attempted to conceal bodies in caves and remote shelters. Security forces have systematically cleared these areas, they added.
The evacuation order follows a tragic incident on Tuesday in the Erab area of Lowi Mamund tehsil, where a mortar shell struck a home, killing a woman and her two children and wounding two others from the same family. The attack has fuelled local outrage, amplifying concerns about civilian safety during military operations in the volatile tribal region.
On Thursday, hundreds gathered at Umary Chowk on the Inayat Kallay-Laghari road to protest, demanding greater protection for civilians. The demonstration, attended by political and social activists, included prominent figures such as Bajaur Aman Jirga chief Sahib Zada Haroon Rashid, PTI local MPA Dr Hamidur Rehman, former MNA Gul Zafar Khan, ANP district president Gul Afzal Khan, PTI senior activist Najibullah Khan Mamund, Malik Khalid Khan, and Irfan Janbaz. Some protesters waved black flags and chanted slogans calling for peace and an end to civilian casualties.
Addressing the crowd, speakers expressed profound grief and anger over the Erab incident. “The loss of innocent lives is unacceptable,” said Dr Rehman, urging authorities to investigate and ensure such tragedies are not repeated. The protest, which lasted several hours, concluded after Rehman announced that officials had committed to probing the incident, providing advance evacuation notices, and compensating residents for property damage caused during the operation.
To support the displaced, the district administration has arranged transport to relief camps, including the Bajaur Sports Complex in Khar, where non-food items were distributed on Thursday. Starting Friday, a registration process for displaced families will commence at the Utman Khail complex in Qazafi, equipped with 10 counters and five mobile verification units.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Planning and Finance) Saeedullah Jan told reporters that the initiative, a joint effort by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), will provide Rs75,000 to each displaced family, Rs50,000 upon arrival and Rs25,000 for transportation to aid their return. Payments will be made digitally, covering families in relief camps or staying with relatives across 27 areas of Lowi Mamund and War Mamund tehsils.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah confirmed that the provincial cabinet has allocated Rs5 billion in relief funds to support those displaced by the operation, underscoring the government’s commitment to addressing the humanitarian fallout. Bajaur, part of Pakistan’s northwestern tribal belt, has long been a flashpoint for militancy, with security forces engaged in protracted battles against insurgent groups.
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