BAJAUR: The local tribal elders here on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration against withdrawal of security from them.

The protesting elders from different tribes gathered outside the deputy commissioner office and threatened to stop cooperation with district administration and police if their security was not restored.

The district police officer, Abdul Samad Khan, on Monday ordered withdrawal of security from tribal elders, lawmakers, their relatives, political leaders and trader leaders across the district.

The protesters chanted slogans against the officials of both the district administration and police. They termed the move unacceptable, saying they had survived several attempts on their lives in the past.

Malik Mohammad Shah, Malik Sultanzeb, Malik Shaheen Khan, Malik Mohammad Nawaz Khan, Malik Abdul Nasar, Malik Mohammad Ayaz Khan, Malik Hifzur Rahman and Malik Fazal Rabi addressed the demonstration.

They said that they did not expect from the authorities to withdraw police security from them as they were target of anti-peace elements. They said that authorities ignored their efforts and sacrifices for restoration of peace and normalcy in the region.

The speakers said that withdrawal of security not only disappointed tribal elders but also made soft target for anti-peace elements. They asked the deputy commissioner and district police officer to understand the seriousness of threats posed to the elders and restore their police security with immediate effect.

They said that district administration and police department would be responsible if any unpleasant incident occurred to tribal elder.

Sources in police department told this scribe that scores of police personnel, who had been deployed with tribal elders, lawmakers, their relatives, former legislators, political leaders and other influential people, reported to the police lines.

However, they said that some lawmakers, their relatives and political leaders, who had three to nine police personnel, were yet to surrender their security despite the fact that they were ordered to surrender all police personnel on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2021