Karachi: Tens of thousands of residents from the Tirah Valley in northwestern Pakistan have fled their homes in recent weeks following warnings broadcast from local mosques about a possible military operation against Islamist militants. The region, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and bordering Afghanistan, has long been a sensitive security zone and a known stronghold for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Local families described how mosque announcements urged evacuation, prompting mass departures despite harsh winter conditions and heavy snowfall. Gul Afridi, a shopkeeper who fled with his family to Bara, 71 km east of the Tirah Valley, said, “The announcements were made in the mosque that everyone should leave, so everyone was leaving. We left too.” The journey proved perilous, with snow-blocked roads and food shortages extending the ordeal to nearly a week.
Thousands of displaced families have congregated in towns like Bara, where local authorities are registering them for assistance. While the Pakistani government denies any large-scale operation, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif called the movement a routine winter migration. Contrasting this, a military source familiar with internal deliberations said that civilians were encouraged to relocate temporarily due to the presence of militants operating among civilian populations. No large-scale troop buildup has occurred, with operations described as “targeted intelligence-based” missions.
The provincial government expressed frustration at the lack of consultation. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi criticized the federal authorities for decisions made without provincial input, insisting that families were displaced under the pretext of security operations rather than voluntarily returning due to snow. Residents, meanwhile, rejected claims that winter alone prompted the evacuation. Abdur Rahim, a displaced villager, stated, “No one left because of the cold. People left because of the announcements.”
The unfolding situation highlights the human cost of security tensions in Pakistan’s northwest, with ordinary civilians caught between militant threats and uncertain government action. Hundreds remain displaced, struggling with inadequate shelter, scarce resources, and anxiety about returning home.