Waziristan journalist faces demolition of home

By Zafar Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: A local journalist in South Waziristan is under the threat of having his house demolished by a local Jirga (tribal council) after he posted on social media platform X, expressing his opposition to the Jirga’s practice of demolishing homes of local residents.

Khalid Miraj Wazir, the journalist in question, has been targeted by the local Zali Khel tribe, who have threatened to raze his house by Monday unless he pays a fine of Rs0.5 million that the Jirga has imposed on him.

In a recent tweet, Khalid expressed his distress, saying, “In South Waziristan, a local Jirga is now demolishing my house after I posted against the demolition of homes. I have vacated my house for them because I am a journalist. If they impose a fine today, I will speak out against injustice tomorrow, and then these individuals will fine me.”

اس پوسٹ کیوجہ سے زلی خیل قوم نے مجھے پانچ لاکھ جرمانہ کیا ہے.کہہ رہے کہ اگر آپ نے کل دس بجے تک جرمابہ نہیں دیا تو ہم آپ کے گھر کو مسمار یا سیل کر دینگے.لیکن میِں ان لوگوں کو جرمانہ کبھی نہیں دونگا.
@a_siab @AsadAToor @AzazSyed @IhteshamAfghan @BushraGohar @SaleemKhanSafi pic.twitter.com/7UYtpGs8M9

— Miraj Khalid Wazir (@wazir_miraj) September 24, 2023

Speaking to HUM News English, Miraj Khalid Wazir stated, “I have filed a complaint at the Azam Warsak Police Station, stating that I am a journalist and that the Zeli Khel tribe has imposed a fine of five lakhs on me for merely posting a single message. Therefore, action should be taken against them, and they should be held accountable because we have already suffered.”

Due to concerns for their safety, Wazir said, he has vacated his house and relocated his family members to the residence of a relative. Despite studying in China, he said he and his family continue to face threats from the Zali Khel tribe, who could potentially demolish his house at any moment and harm his family.

The local jirga in Wana s waziristan have created a state within the state, they are taking fines from people and demolishing houses, which is an unconstitutional act,
The administration remains a silent spectator pic.twitter.com/YAMOO3PMo4

— Atif Rashid (@iamatif_orakzai) September 24, 2023

In another post, Wazir said: “In South Waziristan, I have vacated my house for the tribal Jirga (Zali Khel tribe). I will not pay any fine. In the erstwhile FATA region, the FC (Frontier Corps) is done away with but in name. We had previously vacated our houses in 2004 and 2007 due to military operations, and today, we have emptied it due to the actions of the tribal council.”

لوئر جنوبی وزیرستان زلی خیل قوم کے مشران کو میں نے گھر خالی کیا.میں انکو جرمانہ نہیں دونگا.ایکس فاٹا میں ایف سی آر برائے نام ختم ہے.اس طرح گھر ہم نے 2004 اور 2007 میں آپریشن کیوجہ سے خالی کیئے تھے آج اپنے مشران کیوجہ سے خالی کیا.@HamidMirPAK@mjdawar#JournalismIsNotACrime pic.twitter.com/XPys6QbAHD

— Miraj Khalid Wazir (@wazir_miraj) September 24, 2023

District Police Officer South Waziristan, Farman Ullah, told HUM News English that a police contingent has been deployed outside Miraj Khalid Wazir’s house, and additional security personnel will be stationed there on Monday.

He said that both the local administration and the army have taken notice of the situation, with approximately 250 security personnel set to be deployed outside the journalist’s home and prevent any attempts by the Zali Khel tribe to demolish it.

DPO Farman Ullah asserted that security personnel will take the first bullet if such an attempt is made.

The police officer said that he had urged the journalist and his family not to vacate their home due to the security deployment, but they chose to do so regardless of assurance of safety.

He also pledged to take action against the leaders of the Zali Khel tribe for encouraging the destruction of residents’ homes and assured that no illegal Jirga orders would be executed.

In his tweet, Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said: “In Wana, South Waziristan, a local Jirga is currently demolishing the residence of journalist Miraj Khalid Wazir in response to a post he made on social media. This incident reflects a failure on the part of security forces, the local administration, and the police department. It signifies a breakdown of law and order within the state. The local group is openly flouting the law, and the state is seemingly silent in its observation of the situation. Such actions blatantly defy the laws of Pakistan and are in no way acceptable.”

وانا، جنوبی وزیرستان میں ایک مقامی جرگہ سوشل میڈیا پر پوسٹ کرنے پر صحافی معراج خالد وزیر کے گھر کو مسمار کر رہا ہے، یہ سیکیورٹی فورسز،سول ایڈمنسٹریشن اور محکمہ پولیس کی ناکامی ہے۔ ریاست کے اندر ریاست کا فروغ ہے۔ مقامی جرگہ کھلم کھلا قانون کی خلاف ورزی کر رہا ہے اور ریاست خاموش… pic.twitter.com/TcorCd0PEx

— Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan | سینیٹر مشتاق احمد خان (@SenatorMushtaq) September 24, 2023

He further said that he will raise the issue in the Senate of Pakistan.

Former Member of the National Assembly (MNA), Mohsin Dawar, weighed in on the incident via Twitter, saying, “A local Jirga in Wana, South Waziristan, is on its way to demolish the house of journalist Miraj Khalid Wazir for his social media post. The state is promoting warlordism in our areas. The local Jirga is openly violating the law, and the state is watching as a silent spectator.”

A local jarga in Wana, S. Waziristan is on its way to demolish the house of journalist Miraj Khalid Wazir for his post on social media. The state is promoting war lordism in our areas. The local jarga is violating the law openly and the state is watching as a silent spectator. pic.twitter.com/WIDolLLVRJ

— Mohsin Dawar (@mjdawar) September 24, 2023

Efforts to contact the South Waziristan district deputy commissioner for his version on the issue remained unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls and text messages.

In a striking return to past practices in North and South Waziristan tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), local Jirgas are taking questionable decisions, one after another, affecting thousands of lives and with one victim more obvious than others – writ of the state.