At least one person was killed and over 20 others injured on Friday as gunfire broke out at a “peace” rally attended by thousands in Bannu
Organized by local traders and political parties, the Bannu peace rally demanded an end to militancy in the region, with participants waving white flags. The thousands-strong march culminated at the Sports Complex, where participants addressed the crowd on the recent resurgence of militancy.
Reportedly, the otherwise-peaceful situation deteriorated when the crowd started marching from the Sports Complex to Bannu cantonment, setting fire to tents set up by security forces to secure a wall damaged in a terrorist attack on Sunday that had led to the martyrdom of eight troops.
According to eyewitnesses, initially some gunshots were fired toward the tents, prompting retaliation by security forces. The crossfire triggered a stampede, with at least one person shot dead and 22 others injured. Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, who was part of the protest, subsequently accused security forces for the violence, though local government officials have indicated it was the result of differences between two rival groups within the protesters.
After the violence broke out, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa spokesperson Muhammad Ali Saif issued a video statement claiming Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had ordered an investigation and directed district authorities to engage with local elders. Maintaining the situation was now under control, he urged the public to remain calm and vowed that those responsible would be prosecuted. Separately, the KP government also announced compensation for the victims.