PESHAWAR: A protest sit-in continued at the Peshawar Ring Road Toll Plaza on Tuesday against a drone strike in Ekakhel, Bara, Khyber district that locals say killed innocent children, with demonstrators vowing not to disperse until guarantees are given by the provincial leadership.
According to local reporter Rasool Dawar, Peshawar Police resorted to aerial firing near the protest site. No casualties were reported in the incident, and the sit-in continued despite the gunfire.
Member of the National Assembly Iqbal Afridi and a local MPA are participating in the protest alongside residents and tribal elders. The demonstration has partially disrupted traffic on the Ring Road, with commuters advised to use alternative routes.
Protesters said they would call off the sit-in if they receive an assurance that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi will attend the funeral prayer of the martyred child and that drone attacks targeting innocent citizens will not be carried out in the future.
“Every option is acceptable for peace, but harm to the general public will never be tolerated,” one of the demonstrators told reporters at the venue.
The provincial government had not issued an official statement on the protesters’ demands till the filing of this report. Police officials were also not immediately available for comment on the reported aerial firing.
The alleged drone strike in Ekakhel has sparked anger in Khyber district over the past 24 hours, with residents demanding a transparent inquiry and safeguards for civilian populations in the merged districts.
