Contribution demanded: ‘Tribespeople to be held responsible for attack on security forces’

Jirga given one month to hand over suspect to administration.

SHABQADAR: Tribespeople will be held responsible for any attacks orchestrated against security forces in Mohmand Agency.

This was said at a grand jirga of Mohmand tribespeople held with security officials in Ghallanai, Mohmand Agency on Friday.

Mohmand Rifle Commandant Hafiz Asif Iqbal gave the jirga one month to hand over suspects to the administration.

“If they fail to comply, the government would have no other option but to act against locals under the collective responsibility clause of Frontier Crimes Regulation,” he said.

While addressing the jirga, he lauded the sacrifices rendered by tribespeople of Mohmand to restore peace in the agency. He said several acts of violence have been witnessed in parts of the agency in the past few months.



He said terror activities were being orchestrated from Afghanistan through local facilitators.

“Tribespeople should keep a lookout for these facilitators and hand them over to the administration,” Iqbal added.

Give and take

Iqbal said Khakh Bazaar in Safi tehsil will remain closed till the tribespeople hand over suspects, who were distributing militancy-related pamphlets. He added the area in Haleemzai where explosives were found has been taken over by the government. The property where such activity happens will also be taken over.

Strengthening cooperation

Mohmand Political Agent Mehmood Aslam informed the tribespeople the government was working on development projects in the agency to boost their livelihood.

“However, it is the responsibility of the tribespeople to cooperate with the government to eliminate terrorism, which is the main hurdle to development,” he said.

According to Aslam, work on Nahqi Tunnel was in progress and the route would soon be opened for the flow of vehicles.

“The road leading to the tunnel and Mamad Ghat will be completed on a priority basis,” the political agent said.

He added the marble mines had been opened so that economic activity can continue unabated. However, he added they were struggling to reopen Gharsal Highway for trade with Afghanistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2016.