FATA turmoil: Jirga urges govt to talk peace with militants

Tribal elders says in past 10 years, hundreds of thousands of tribesmen have lost their lives.

PESHAWAR:

Tribal elders and elected members from the Federally Administered Tribal Area (Fata) speaking at a jirga on Tuesday asked the government to negotiate with the militants to end the conflict instead of launching military operations, which adversely affect the tribal populace. MNA Hameedullah Jan Afridi chaired the jirga held at Hayatabad, Peshawar on Tuesday and attended by the tribal elders from North and South Waziristan, Khyber, Bajaur and Mohmand agencies.

The tribal elders said that in the past ten years, hundreds of thousands of tribesmen have lost their lives, homes and businesses whereas scores were languishing in IDP camps. They urged the government to resolve the conflict by initiating result-oriented dialogue process with the insurgents instead of the military operation.

Malak Darya Khan, an elder from Khyber Agency, said that tribesmen had lost billion of rupees due to insurgency and lawlessness in the tribal belt and their businesses in the area have come to an end due to consistent curfews and military operations.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2013.