LAKKI MARWAT: A jirga has reiterated its opposition to the proposed military operation in the Janikhel, Bakkakhel and other areas of Bannu district, and asked the government to find an alternate solution to the deteriorating law and order situation in the region.

The jirga was held at a seminary at Parati Gate in the Bannu city on Saturday to discuss the prevailing law and order situation and the announcement by the Provincial Apex Committee to launch operation against terrorists in the Janikhel town.

Jamaat-i-Islami Khyber Pakhtunkhwa South emir Mohammad Ibrahim, MNA Maulana Naseem Ali Shah, MPA Adnan Khan Wazir, Malik Hikmatyar Khan, Malik Naimat Ali Khan, Taimur Baz Khan, Malik Rahat Khan, Nasar Khan Bangash, Abdul Samad Khan, Shah Qiaz Bacha Advocate and other elders, traders’ leaders and members of civil society were in attendance.

Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, the JI leader announced the joint declaration, asking the government to implement the 16-point demands of the jirga, which he said had also been endorsed by the apex committee.

Calls for removal of elders, traders from Fourth Schedule

He also demanded withdrawal of the decision to launch a military operation in the Janikhel town of the district, reinstatement of the sacked policemen and exclusion of elders and traders’ names from the Fourth Schedule.

Mr Ibrahim also asked the government to order reopening of roads and arteries closed by the local authorities due to security concerns and take onboard elected representatives from the district before making decisions with regard to launch of operations, closure of roads and suspension of internet services.

“Any unilateral decision in this regard will not be accepted by the jirga,” he asserted, saying that involvement of MPs in such decisions would help restore people’s trust in the security forces and other law enforcement agencies.

The JI leader said that the jirga would formulate the future line of action in case the government failed to meet its demands.

Also in the day, a key jirga member, Abdul Samad Khan was arrested by the police when he was returning to his village after attending the meeting.

Political and civil society activists condemned his arrest and declared it disrespect to the jirga.

Jamaat’s Mohammad Ibrahim demanded his immediate release and said that the arrest of the ‘peace campaigner’ when he was on way to his village after attending the meeting of the jirga was condemnable.

Mr Ibrahim said that the government was depriving Mr Samad and other leaders of their fundamental rights by including their names in the Fourth Schedule.

Bannu Chamber of Commerce and Industry senior vice-president Nasar Khan Bangash said that Abdul Samad Khan always raised voice for peace and against violence.

He said that the Khyber police had charged the jirga member in fabricated cases when the proscribed Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement had organised a jirga in the tribal district over two months ago.

Mureed Hayat Advocate, an elder, asked the local police to hand over the arrested leader to the Khyber police so that they could initiate a legal battle for his release.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2024