Three protesters killed by Pakistan army at checkpoint

THREE people have been shot dead by troops and at least 10 wounded in clashes between soldiers and protesters, Pakistan’s army said yesterday.

The military claimed that troops had opened fire after a checkpoint in North Waziristan was shot at by protesters led by two members of Pakistan’s national assembly.

However, Pashtun Protection Movement (PTM) leaders said troops had instead opened fire on an unarmed crowd, wounding dozens.

The PTM has angered Pakistan’s military since it emerged last year, with its open criticism and calls to end alleged abuses against Pashtuns living in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir, both MPS who helped found PTM, were planning a sit-in to protest against the alleged abusive treatment of a Pakistani woman by the security forces, Reuters reported. The military said that protesters led by the pair attacked a checkpoint in Boyya to “exert pressure for release of a facilitator of suspected terrorists”.

“In exchange of fire, three who attacked the post lost their lives and 10 got injured,” it said, adding that Mr Wazir had been arrested while Mr Dawar was at large. Mr Dawar told Deewa, Voice of America’s Pashto language radio service, that 30 people were wounded, including himself.

Mr Dawar said the security forces tried to stop protesters going through

‘It would not make sense for Mohsin Dawar, an elected representative, to initiate such an attack’

barricades and initially shot in the air but “then opened straight fire at us. Many our of people were injured”.

Bilawal Bhutto-zardari, chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, raised doubt over the military version of events, saying it made no sense for a member of the national assembly to attack a checkpoint.

“How can Mohsin Dawar attack a check post? He is an elected representative. It would not make sense for an elected representative to initiate such an attack,” he said.