Pakistan’s restive tribal areas are under tighter security lockdown, with Section 144 enforced daily in South Waziristan Upper and Lower districts. This bold administrative move responds to deteriorating law and order, marked by intensified terrorist operations that have rattled the region in recent months.
From dawn to dusk – 6 AM to 6 PM – roads will clear out, businesses shutter, and unnecessary movement halts in targeted zones. In Upper South Waziristan, DC Asmatullah Wazir outlined restrictions for Sarwekai and Sararoga tehsils, closing vital paths like Sarrogha to Nazar Khel via Kot Kai, Makin, and Spinkai Raghzai. The Dargai Bridge corridor through Madi Jan, Sheen Warsak, Mole Khan Sarai, and Chagmalai also falls under the ban.
Lower South Waziristan mirrors this with DC Musarrat Zaman imposing curfews across Wana sectors, including Taryaza Gate, Karb Kot, Tanei, Azizabad Chowk, and beyond to Dargai Bridge. Only emergency passages, backed by security clearance and documentation, will be permitted.
The curfew’s core aims: protect lives, streamline troop movements, and deter militant disruptions. Zaman appealed for public adherence, stressing personal responsibility for any breaches. This development highlights the persistent insurgency challenges in Pakistan’s borderlands, where counter-terror efforts demand such drastic, routine interventions to prevent further escalation and foster a secure environment for residents long afflicted by violence.