Tribesmen want to stop coal feud

Excavating coal in disputed territory flares up tensions between Akhurwal and Kalakhel

PESHAWAR: Residents from the Frontier Region (FR) Kohat have demanded the officials of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) to intervene and stop a possible clash between Akhurwal and Kalakhel tribes.

Tensions have flared up after one group tried to start excavating coal from an area both tribes claim as theirs and has therefore been declared a disputed territory where all sorts of mining is banned.

A group of armed Akhurwal youth was ready to attack the miners, but the elders of the tribe stopped them insisting that sense must prevail. They have asked the political administration to resolve the issue.

According to officials, the matter will be taken up in a meeting of the political administration with the representatives of the tribes.

As per reports, a demarcation existed between the Akhurwal and Kalakhail tribes. However with discovery of coal, both the tribes laid claim to the area that has now become a disputed land. Recently, some people moved into the area with mining equipment and trucks.

“Armed youth left to stop mining but luckily we received the information and stopped them since they are young and it [going there fully armed to forcefully stop the mining] would have serious repercussions because the other group would also respond,” Akhurwal Union chief Malik Lal Saeed told The Express Tribune.

When contacted, FR Kohat Tehsildar Younas Khan said a meeting with elders from both the tribes with political administration FR Kohat and Khyber Agency has been called for Wednesday [today] where a decision will be made to resolve the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2017.