Landmines in ex-FATA

CISR
 

SUMMARY: For decades, landmines have been used as a potent weapon by many armies and militias, governments and rebels. It is a sinister weapon, indiscriminate in its lethality, designed to kill and maim people, and destroy livelihoods by rendering land uncultivable. Though Afghanistan, Cambodia and Angola are the three most heavily mined countries in the world, landmines laid in areas near the Pak-Afghan border since the Soviet-Afghan war began in 1979 still continue to cause horrific injuries and take lives. Youngsters are particularly susceptible to often fatal injuries since mine detonators can resemble shiny objects which children mistake for toys. It is against this backdrop that a group of lawyers recently moved the Peshawar High Court to take note of frequent landmine explosions in the merged tribal districts, mainly South Waziristan, demanding the government announce compensation for the victims and steps to demine the area.


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Published: Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Last Updated: Thursday, November 2, 2023

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