Draft:Bannu Aman Pasoon

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Bannu Aman Pasoon
بنو امن پاڅون Part of Pashtun rights and peace movements in Pakistan
Aman (Peace) flag used during the Bannu Aman Pasoon
Date	19 July 2024 – present (sporadic)
Location	Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Caused by	Resurgence of terrorism Announcement of new military operation (Azm-e-Istehkam) Public demand for civilian-led policing
Goals	No new military operations Empower civilian law enforcement (CTD, Police) Compensation for victims Restoration of peace and development
Methods	Peace marches Sit-ins (Dharna) White flag protests Political negotiations
Status	Ongoing (sporadic protests and negotiations)
Parties
Bannu Aman Jirga Local tribal elders Bannu Chamber of Commerce United political parties (JUI-F, ANP, PPP, PTI, etc.) Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan Army (local garrison) Intelligence agencies (alleged)
Casualties and losses
1 killed (protester) 27+ injured (July 2024 firing) None
Internet blackouts, FIRs under terrorism clauses

The Bannu Aman Pasoon (Pashto: د بنو امن پاڅون‎) — also known as the “Bannu Peace Uprising” was a grassroots protest movement in mid-2024 in Bannu District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Sparked by a sharp rise in militant violence and fear of renewed military operations, local tribal leaders, politicians, traders and civil society organized mass peace rallies and sit-ins demanding security and an end to military campaigns in the region. The protests drew widespread attention – carried out under white flags and peace slogans – and ultimately forced the provincial government to negotiate with the demonstrators. The movement is viewed as part of a broader Pashtun demand for political, rather than military, solutions to insurgency.

Background and context

Bannu District lies near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, a longtime safe haven for Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants. In July 2024, extremists based in Afghanistan carried out a deadly suicide bombing on a Pakistani army garrison in Bannu, killing eight soldiers. Islamabad responded by announcing Azm-e-Istehkam, a renewed counter-terror campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Many local residents feared this would repeat the massive operations of 2014–2015, which had displaced hundreds of thousands of Pashtun families. Frustration grew over continuing attacks and perceived impunity: for example, Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s faction of the TTP (operating from Afghanistan) openly claimed responsibility for the Bannu attack.

Footage of the militant attack on Bannu Cantonment in early July 2024. The event intensified public fear and directly preceded the Bannu Aman Pasoon uprising.

Tribesmen and civil society in Bannu, echoing sentiments of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), increasingly demanded dialogue and better local policing instead of further army offensives. By mid-July, Bannu elders and activists had begun organizing a “peace march” (Aman Pasoon) to call attention to their grievances.

Historical significance

Bannu has repeatedly served as a key crossroads in the political awakening of Pashtuns, hosting landmark events that have shaped nationalist discourse over generations.

Faqir of Ipi and Islam Bibi case (1936):

In early 1936, a legal ruling by the British colonial court in Bannu ignited widespread unrest. The case involved a young Hindu girl, Ram Kori—renamed Islam Bibi after converting to Islam—whose marriage was annulled by the court on the grounds of age and consent. The decision to return her to her family, despite her conversion, provoked anger across the region. Among those moved by the case was a young Mirzali Khan, then based in Bannu, who would soon be known as the Faqir of Ipi. Using the pulpit and tribal networks, he denounced the verdict as an affront to religious freedom and Pashtun autonomy. Soon after, he returned to his native Ipi and organized an armed tribal resistance—drawing fighters from the Wazir, Mehsud, Dawar, and Bannuchi tribes. This marked the beginning of one of the longest anti-British guerrilla campaigns on the frontier, lasting over two decades.

Bannu Resolution and demand for Pashtunistan (1947):

On 21 June 1947, Bannu again became the focal point of a major political stand. A large jirga convened in the city, gathering figures like Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Bacha Khan), the Faqir of Ipi, Khudai Khidmatgar leaders, and tribal elders. They jointly issued the historic "Bannu Resolution," which rejected the limited choice offered in the British-sponsored NWFP referendum—between India and Pakistan—and instead demanded a third option: an independent Pashtunistan. When this demand was dismissed by both the colonial administration and dominant political parties, the Khudai Khidmatgar boycotted the vote entirely. Though the referendum went ahead, the resolution became a foundational expression of modern Pashtun nationalist aspirations.

Pashtun National Jirga (2022):

In March 2022, Bannu once again served as a political gathering ground when thousands of delegates, activists, and leaders converged on Mirakhel Cricket Ground for the Pashtun National Jirga. Participants included representatives from the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), Awami National Party (ANP), Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), National Democratic Movement (NDM), legal experts, and independent journalists. The jirga culminated in a 25-point charter of demands, emphasizing civilian control of law enforcement, the demilitarization of settled areas, an end to enforced disappearances, and protections for Pashto language and culture. The event was widely seen as a revival of collective Pashtun political agency—cementing Bannu’s role as a consistent center of organized nationalist dialogue and demands.

Timeline of protests

The Bannu Aman Pasoon unfolded through several major events from July 2024 into 2025:

July 19, 2024 – Peace rally and shootings:

Thousands of protesters (from local parties, tribal areas, and civil society) marched to Bannu Cantonment waving white flags and chanting “We want peace”. According to AFP and local accounts, some military or security personnel suddenly opened fire on the crowd. At least one demonstrator was killed and about 25–27 others were wounded. (The government later said the protest “escalated” and pledged an inquiry.) In the wake of the shooting, protesters established a sit-in around the cantonment that lasted several days into late July.

July 20–26, 2024 – Sit-in and negotiations:

The sit-in continued under the banner of the “Bannu Aman Jirga,” a council of local elders and notables that coordinated the movement. The elders drafted a 16-point charter of demands (including no new military offensives, empowerment of police/CTD, and developmental promises). On July 26, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur flew into Bannu and addressed a huge gathering in Parati Gate Bazaar. Gandapur announced that the provincial government would accept the protesters’ demands “in letter and spirit,” publicly declaring that “no operation” would be allowed in KP. He thanked local elders for averting further violence, ending the sit-in with the promise of follow-up talks.

October 21, 2024 – Traders’ peace march:

Frustrations remained after July. On October 21, thousands of Bannu traders and citizens again held a “peace march” under white flags. Organized by the Bannu Chamber of Commerce and local business unions, participants shuttered shops to protest escalating lawlessness. Women with missing relatives also took part, demanding government action on enforced disappearances. Speakers at the rally (including MNA Syed Naseem Ali Shah, ex-minister Malik Shah Mohammad Khan, and others) criticized the provincial government for not implementing the July peace jirga’s 16-point security agenda. They reported that several community leaders had been arrested for promoting peace and even placed on terrorism watchlists, and that dissenting policemen were sacked for raising safety concerns. The elders announced a daily sit-in (to start October 24) until demands were met.

May 2025 – Threatened shutdown:

In May 2025 tribal elders in Bannu again threatened protest action. After meetings with government officials failed to resolve key issues (like the recovery of a kidnapped teacher and reopening closed roads), the elders announced a wheel-jam and shutter-down strike on May 19, 2025. Their communiqué noted that “leaders of the Aman Pasoon” were facing legal cases and that many concerns (including dismissed police orders) remained unaddressed. The government responded by reopening most roads and promising phased action, but the elders maintained that only full implementation of all demands would end the planned protest.

Organizers and leadership

The Aman Pasoon was led by a broad cross-section of Bannu society. Prominent in organizing was a Bannu Aman Jirga (peace council), comprising roughly 45 local elders, tribal chieftains and professionals. Its president was Nasir Khan Bangash – vice-president of the Bannu Chamber of Commerce, who became the chief spokesman. Bangash addressed media and negotiators, stating the group’s core stance: that internal security was the police/CTD’s responsibility, not the army’s. Other organizers included provincial and federal legislators from Bannu: for example, MNA Maulana Syed Naseem Ali Shah (PTI) and former MPA Malik Adnan Wazir (JUI-F) spoke at rallies, as did ex-Senator Baz Mohammad Khan (ANP), JI leader Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, PPP’s Dr. Pir Zaman, and PTI’s Sher Afzal Khan Marwat. The movement described itself as “Mutahida Siyasi Aman Pasoon” (United Political Peace Front), and was supported by virtually all local parties. A Dawn report noted that mainstream parties – including JUI-F, PPP, ANP, PML‑N, PTI, PkMAP, NDM, JI and PTM-affiliated activists – joined protests in the region. In short, tribal elders, the merchants’ chamber and many traditional political figures led the Aman Pasoon, giving it an unusually broad base for a Pashtun protest.

Core demands and slogans

Protesters articulated a clear platform centered on peace and rights. Their primary demand was no new military operations in the tribal districts or Bannu. Citing decades of counterinsurgency campaigns, they said past offensives “added to the sufferings of people” and led to massive displacement. Leaders insisted that law and order should be maintained by civilian forces – police and the Counter-Terrorism Department – not the army. In rallies they carried white flags and banners with peace slogans; e.g. at the July 19 rally people chanted “We want peace” and told AFP that “military actions could never be a substitute for peace”. Other demands included proper policing of criminal groups, speedy investigation of kidnappings, development projects for Bannu, and accountability for violence against civilians. For example, at the traders’ march speakers lamented that a 16-point security package (drawn up after earlier jirgas) had not been implemented. The movement also demanded justice for the victims of the July shootings and vowed legal action against those responsible – a point echoed by HRCP and Amnesty International calls for inquiries. In short, the Aman Pasoon’s creed was “no operation, only peace and development” – a message summed up by Gandapur’s pledge, “I declare that there will be no operation in the province” in response to protesters’ demands.

State response

Provincial and federal authorities responded with a mix of concessions and caution. KP government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif described the July rally as having “escalated and resulted in firing”, and said the CM had taken immediate notice of the situation. Gandapur instructed officials to engage the protesters – the Bannu commissioner and deputy commissioner held talks with the Aman Jirga – and he ultimately pledged both an investigation and compensation. In December 2024 the KP government announced a relief package: families of those killed were to receive Rs3 million each, and the injured Rs1 million each. Hospitals in Bannu were placed on high alert after the shootings, and the Health Department declared an emergency in all public hospitals.

Blood stained Aman flag after Bannu protest crackdown, July 2024.

However, there were also measures that many saw as repressive. The KP government briefly shut down mobile and Internet services in Bannu District during the protests. According to VoicePK reporting, authorities registered cases and even placed some Aman Pasoon leaders on an Anti-Terrorism Act “Fourth Schedule” watchlist. By late 2024, at least a dozen local police officers had been dismissed for raising security concerns, and some tribal elders reported that peace activists were arrested on vague charges. Official statements nonetheless emphasized that the right to peaceful protest must be balanced with law and order; Saif warned that “no one would be allowed to take law into their own hands”. At the provincial assembly’s emergency session, lawmakers from multiple parties condemned the violence against protesters. In sum, the state response included promises of investigation and relief, alongside a heavier security posture and some legal action against dissenters.

Public and social-media reaction

The Bannu Aman Pasoon attracted extensive support from Pakistani Pashtun activists and civil society. Political leaders across parties publicly denounced the crackdown. ANP chief Aimal Wali Khan said firing on a “peace rally” was a shameful act proving the state sided with extremism, not peace. Lawyers, bar councils and rights groups (HRCP, Amnesty International) urged accountability. On social media (mainly X/Twitter), Pashtun nationalist voices were prominent. PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen posted that the victims were “our countrymen” and vowed solidarity, calling the shooting clear evidence of the government’s opposition to peace in Pashtun areas. PTM-affiliated accounts condemned the army’s actions in stark terms, and even mainstream opposition figures weighed in – for example, PTI’s Sher Afzal Khan Marwat called the attack “disheartening brutality inflicted upon innocent Pakistanis” exercising their right to protest. The hashtag #BannuAmanPasoon trended among Pashtuns, although precise metrics are hard to verify. Internationally, outlets like RFE/RL and Arab News covered the story, and the HRCP emphasized that suppressing the rally violated citizens’ right to life and assembly. In summary, there was near-universal public sympathy among Pashtun rights advocates and politicians for the Bannu protesters, coupled with outrage at the use of force.

Significance and aftermath

Observers view the Bannu Aman Pasoon as a landmark in recent Pashtun civil activism. It was notable for its cross-party unity: Islamist, nationalist and even banned PTM elements joined together under a common banner for peace. Strategically, it forced the provincial leadership to negotiate in an unusually high-profile way. Analysts compare it to earlier Pashtun movements (e.g. the 2018 Pashtun Long March and various tribal jirgas) in demanding local rights. The protests underscored that many Pashtuns reject the military-first approach: as one organizer said, “we have already witnessed results of operations… which left families homeless and houses destroyed”. Gandapur’s concession (halting new operations) was seen as a rare victory for popular protest in Pakistan. In the broader context, the uprising highlighted growing Pakistani Pashtun resistance to state security policies – contributing to a “civil rights movement by ethnic Pashtuns” that has arisen from the human and economic costs of years of war. It also fed into regional tensions: Islamabad blamed Afghanistan’s Taliban government for harboring militants and questioned cross-border security, while Kabul insisted the violence was Pakistan’s internal matter.

By mid-2025 the immediate crisis had subsided, but the core issues remain contested. The KP government has pledged development projects in Bannu as compensation, and promised to upgrade local police forces. However, many activists and journalists caution that without genuine reconciliation and addressing grievances, such peace movements are likely to re-emerge. In any case, the Bannu Aman Pasoon stands as an important episode in Pakistan’s history of Pashtun protest – a popular assertion that peace and justice, not tanks and troops, must be the foundation of lasting security.