PESHAWAR, May 26: The jail administration has sent 25 out of 49 members of a peace jirga, who had been arrested on the directives of political administrator Kurram Agency here on May 20, to Haripur Central Prison.

The 49 tribal elders, who were brought to Peshawar to negotiate with each others to find out a solution to the ongoing violence in the agency, had been charged under Section 40 of the Frontier Crimes Regulation. Sources said that the remaining elders were likely to be shifted to the central jail of Dera Ismail Khan.

Authorities at Peshawar Central Prison confirmed that they had received directives from the political administration to dispatch one group of the prisoners to Haripur jail.

Legal circles said that political administration had misused its powers by arresting 49 members of the jirga. They said that under the section 40 of the FCR the respective political administration was only empowered to seek a bond of good conduct from a tribesman for a maximum of three years at a time, but had no powers to detain him. Kurram Agency Political Agent Zaheerul Islam told Dawn on Monday that tribesmen had been taken in protective custody under section 40 of the FCR on the recommendation of Hangu Peace Jirga that had been mediating between the two rival groups.

He said that both sides were adamant to start negotiations and the administration had no other option but to take them in protective custody. He said that efforts were underway to convince both sides to initiate talks to find out peaceful solution to the prevailing situation in Kurram region that had been wrecked by bloody sectarian clashes.

The area had been cut off from the rest of the country for the last six months owing to continuous blockade of Thall-Parachinar Road, causing shortage of food items and fuel there.