Baloch Yakjehti Committee Slams Waziristan Drone Strike, Decries ‘Pashtun Genocide’ and Calls for United Resistance

May 20, 2025: The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has fiercely condemned recent drone strikes in North Waziristan that reportedly killed several civilians, including children, branding the attacks as part of a broader “systematic genocide” targeting the Pashtun population.

In a powerful statement posted on the social media platform X, the BYC described the strikes on civilian homes as a continuation of decades-long state violence and oppression in the region.
“We strongly condemn the drone attacks on civilian homes in North Waziristan, the brutal massacre of children, and the ongoing genocide of the Pashtun people. For decades, Pashtun lands have endured military brutality and systemic state oppression,” the statement read.

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Drawing connections to the situation in Balochistan, the BYC accused the state of mirroring its repressive tactics across both regions.
“Just as the state is executing a systematic policy of genocide against the Baloch nation in Balochistan, similar state violence and impunity continue in Pashtun territories. Shelling of civilian populations and drone strikes have become normalized — blatant violations of human rights,” the group asserted.

The BYC’s statement urged solidarity among oppressed ethnic communities in Pakistan, emphasizing that only a unified resistance could bring about meaningful change.
“We believe that all oppressed nations must unite and struggle together against state oppression and brutality. Only this united resistance and people’s power can defeat this tyrannical system,” the committee said.

The statement comes amid rising tensions in Pakistan’s tribal northwest, where ongoing military operations — framed as counterterrorism measures — have led to repeated reports of civilian casualties and displacement.

Civil rights organisations, both within Pakistan and internationally, have voiced growing concern over the opaque nature of these military campaigns. Activists highlight a disturbing trend of human rights violations, including drone strikes, indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, and extrajudicial killings. They argue that counterterrorism rhetoric is often used to justify widespread state violence, leaving affected communities traumatised and without avenues for justice.

Independent media and human rights monitors are frequently denied access to the affected areas, compounding fears of unaccounted abuses and lack of transparency.

As calls for accountability intensify, the BYC’s appeal for unity among Pakistan’s marginalised groups underscores a deepening sense of urgency over what many see as an escalating humanitarian crisis.