SWABI: The district police have adopted a mechanism to monitor jirga meetings in Swabi and disarm the rival parties before every such gathering to avoid Chota Lahor-like clash which left eight people dead a few days ago, said both jirga members and officials on Tuesday.

Sources in the police said that a few days ago a meeting of the police officials and leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was held in the NA Speaker Asad Qaiser’s house in Islamabad and the police officials were told by Mr Qaiser that peace should be maintained in the district with the help of law-enforcing agencies.

“The role of police is highly important and they should monitor all jirga gatherings to avoid clashes and loss of lives. We should all work for peace with complete determination,” Mr Qaiser was quoted as saying by a leader of the ruling party. Sources said that Mardan DIG Sher Akbar Khan had directed the district police to take result-oriented steps for maintaining peace and the jirga members, religious figures and notables should be taken on board.

In this connection, a meeting was held on Tuesday in Razaar tehsil, which was presided over by DSP Pasham Gul and attended by jirga members and notables of the region. Similar gatherings will also be held in other tehsils.

The jirga members and people were urged to extend support to the police. The participants decided that before any jirga meeting the police should be informed to depute personnel there for avoiding any clash.

The jirga members expressed readiness to work in coordination with the police.

BLOOD DONATION CAMP: Two local NGOs organised a free blood donation camp in Topi tehsil here on Tuesday.

As many as 200 people donated blood in the presence of doctors and paramedical staff on this occasion. Members of the two bodies said they had motivated the people to donate blood for saving precious lives. They said the blood would be used for saving the lives of the injured and sick people.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2020