Today marks the fourth anniversary of Kharqamar incident when security forces opened fire on Pashtun Tahafuz Movement’s (PTM) workers gathered near the Kharqamar checkpost in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to protest human rights abuses in the tribal district, killing at least 16 protestors and injuring 47 others.
On May 26, 2019, a large number of PTM protestors had gathered near the Kharqamar checkpost under the leadership of MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir to protest the alleged beating up of a woman by the military and other human rights abuses in the area.
However, the military had opened fire on the PTM workers, claiming they were attacking the checkpost. As a result, 16 protestors were killed while several others were injured.
Later, an FIR was registered at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Police Station, Bannu Range, against several PTM workers for allegedly attacking the checkpost.
Senior PTM members and MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir were nominated in the case along with others under different sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir were arrested on the charges.
The eyewitnesses’ account dismissed the military’s narrative and maintained that protestors were unarmed.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government which was in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the time defended actions of the military.
 workers gathered near the Kharqamar checkpost in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to protest human rights abuses in the tribal district, killing at least 16 protestors and injuring 47 others. ){kind=link}