Militia’s warning: ‘We’ll join Taliban if govt doesn’t want us’

Head of militia says if the govt doesn't accept their demands within two days, it should let them join the Taliban.


Manzoor Ali/qaiser Butt March 10, 2011
Militia’s warning: ‘We’ll join Taliban if govt doesn’t want us’

PESHAWAR: The head of the anti-Taliban militia targeted in Wednesday’s suicide bombing at a funeral in Adezai has warned that its volunteers will be forced to join the Taliban if it does not get material and financial support from the government within two days. “Either the government accepts our demands within two days or they should let us join the Taliban, ” Haji Dilawar Khan, who leads the Qaumi Amn Lashkar, told reporters here.

“We are no longer capable of fighting them alone. We need the government’s help.” Khan had made a similar warning last week, when he told a press conference that the government was not providing the militia promised ammunition and rations. He said the government’s apathy was demonstrated the day after his press conference, when Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Bashir Bilour had reportedly told the media that the militias were no longer useful.

After Khan spoke to reporters on Wednesday, Bilour released a press statement pledging that the government would negotiate the matter with the lashkar soon.

Adezai village is close to Peshawar, not far from the tribally administered regions that border Afghanistan where the Taliban are at their strongest. The area is home to several tribal lashkars that were formed with government backing to resist the Taliban.

Khan said despite a lack of support from the government, his militia had managed to wrest Matani from Taliban control.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2011.

COMMENTS (17)

Interests | 13 years ago | Reply @Javed Afridi: Sir,,ha ha ha ,, You, the once abducted Journalist , right?? you did what i also wanted,,i know you,, you know me,, but signing in as Interests from Islamabad is to keep my self hiden. I know both the parties and even have close terms with both of them. Both the rivals still have differences even inside the Lashkar. One is asking for assistance for so called fight against terrorists. I still remember Javed Aziz reported a story from FR of Peshawar in Kandao area. Although Javed bhai did what he was told by his sources but it was not the actual occurance. Rs 3 million were recieved by the Lashkar men to give back owner ship of the property once taken over during "Dushmani" and all the drama was portrayed as presence of militants in that kalay. Now ask Javed, the property has once again been taken over by those, decleared as militants, why doesnt he cover it as a follow up....
Javed Afridi | 13 years ago | Reply Please stop supporting these rogue elements that sprouted in the name of their so-called fight against the militants. They are all hard core criminals and aim at financial gains and permission to brandish arms to terrorize the local population. I request the reporter(s) to go and find the truth about Delawar Khan. He has been a gangster all his life and his rival, who in his later days became his friend, was also given the status of 'Shaheed' after he was killed. Both these families run a chain of 'kidnapping gangs' and its not difficult at all to find this out, if one choose to do so. Police, despite knowing everything, cannot do anything because of the political support that they have.
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