Bajaur — Authorities in Bajaur have ordered residents from 26 villages in the volatile Lowi Mamund and War Mamund tehsils to leave their homes by August 16, as security forces intensify operations against militant groups entrenched in the area.
The directive, announced by the district administration through an official Facebook post, gives villagers until 10 a.m. to relocate to relief camps in Khar. Government transport is being provided, and officials say the evacuation is a temporary safety measure as troops move in for what they describe as a “planned targeted operation” aimed at permanently clearing militants.
Nine Militants Reportedly Killed
Local sources claim that nine militants have been killed in recent days during operations in Bajaur’s rugged Damadola region. The offensive, based on “credible intelligence,” has involved both air and ground forces.
Security personnel say the militants attempted to hide bodies in caves and remote hideouts, but these sites have since been cleared. The military’s media wing, ISPR, has yet to confirm the reported casualties.
Anger Over Civilian Deaths Sparks Protest
Tensions escalated earlier this week when a mortar shell allegedly struck a home in Lowi Mamund’s Erab area, killing a woman and her two children and injuring two more children.
The incident prompted a large protest on Thursday at Umary Chowk, where political leaders, tribal elders, and social activists demanded stronger safeguards for civilians during military action.
Speakers, including Bajaur Aman Jirga chief Sahib Zada Haroon Rashid and local PTI MPA Dr Hamidur Rehman, condemned the civilian deaths and pressed authorities for a full investigation. Protesters carried black flags and chanted for peace, vowing to oppose operations that put non-combatants at risk.
Organizers said the government had since assured them of several steps: advanced notice before operations, compensation for any property losses, and a formal probe into the Erab shelling.
Relief and Compensation Plan Launched
The evacuation will be followed by a large-scale registration drive for displaced families, beginning Friday at the Utman Khail complex in Qazafi. The facility will have 10 registration counters and five mobile verification teams from NADRA and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
Each family will receive a provincial aid package worth Rs75,000 — Rs50,000 upon arrival and Rs25,000 to cover transport when returning home. Payments will be processed digitally, whether families stay in official camps or with relatives.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s cabinet has approved Rs5 billion in total relief funding for those affected. Non-food supplies are already being distributed at camps, including the Bajaur Sports Complex.
