KHYBER: Undeterred by regular airstrikes and ground offensives by security forces against their positions, armed groups affiliated with proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) have established parallel courts in pockets of Tirah, according to local sources.

They said that armed militants also issued notices to government officials, police and even FC personnel to either abandon their official responsibilities or leave the region.

They said that armed men of outlawed TTP and LI also started collection of Ushr, an Islamic tax, from local drug dealers, who earned money through sale of cannabis, which was widely cultivated in the entire Tirah valley.

Local sources told this scribe that in the absence of a proper judicial system and an effective administrative setup, the banned TTP and LI have ‘filled’ the gap by asking people to bring their issues to their Shura (council) for ‘speedy and judicious’ resolution.

Start collecting Ushr; ask police and FC personnel to either quit duty or leave the area

They said that locals had no other option but to approach Taliban for redressing their grievances, mostly pertaining to land and monetary disputes.

The areas where such parallel courts have been established include Momandu Ghuz, Peer Mela, Serrai Kandaw, Tangi, Manzawoon, Sherdara and Arhanga where TTP and LI have maximum presence with their armed volunteers conducting regular patrolling alongside collecting Ushr.

Locals said that those areas also witnessed some fierce battles between security forces and militants with the army also having support of helicopter gunships.

They said that armed militants had made announcements in local mosques after Friday prayers during the last three weeks and asked government employees to either distance themselves from their official responsibilities or leave the area.

Sources said that similar notices were also issued to police and FC personnel with most of the employees of various government departments opting to leave the areas under the militants control for fear of any action against them.

They said that Ushr was paid to militants in cash and Taliban showed leniency by receiving it in installments. “Local drug dealers are more than willing to pay Ushr to them as they know very well that if the amount is not paid voluntarily, Taliban would then come after them and take their share by force,” a local told Dawn.

It was also learnt during telephonic conversation with locals that trade activities were also badly affected in markets owing to presence of militants and the ongoing targeted operations against them.

They said that most people avoided travelling at nighttime and also stopped construction of new houses or repair of the old ones for fear of a sudden displacement in the wake of ongoing military operations.

They said that militants looted a truck loaded with food items some 10 or 12 days ago in Mumandu Ghuz area and took the driver and cleaner as hostage. “Local elders then negotiated the release of driver and his assistant along with handing over empty truck to security officials,” they added.

Sources said that people were not happy with the current situation as they were afraid of both security forces for launching a military operation in their area and militants, who continued to intimidate them to submit to their way of managing local affairs.

TTP and its local affiliate LI had resurfaced in Malakdinkhel, Qambarkhel, Kamarkhel, Sipah, Adamkhel and Zakhakhel in July with security forces launching limited scale intelligence-based military operations in the areas where videos of militants patrolling went viral on social media.

Published in Dawn, October 21th, 2024