Administration’s warning: Relatives given until December 17 to hand over militants

Ultimatum reiterates decision of jirga with Mohmand tribesmen

SHABQADAR: Political administration in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas’ (Fata) Mohmand agency has given militants’ relatives until December 17 to voluntarily hand over the wanted terrorists in hiding to authorities or face expulsion from the agency.

In a statement issued to media, the agency’s political administration said this ultimatum is given in continuation of the decision of jirgas held with Mohmand tribesmen.

A grand jirga was held at Mamad Gat Safi tehsil of Mohmand agency last week. This jirga was attended by Mohmand and Bajaur tribesmen, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s former governor Shaukat Ullah as well as officials of political administrations of Mohmand and Bajaur and high ranking officials of Frontier Corps.



Later the political administration also held jirgas in Mohmand and Bajaur, and an ultimatum was issued to the relatives of all wanted militants involved in attacks on security forces and state installations.

The statement said it was decided that there would be zero tolerance for militants and that strict action would be taken against those involved in acts of terrorism in Mohmand and Bajaur agency.

The ultimatum has come in the backdrop of increased attacks in the agencies against security forces and pro-government tribesmen.

Last week, four heavily-armed suicide bombers attacked the headquarters of Mohmand Rifles in Ghallanai area where 450 recruits were to pass out in the morning.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th, 2016.