K-P governor calls for tribal jirgas

Directs DCs to identify tribes and their population to give proportionate representation in the jirgas

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman has said that tribal jirgas representing tribal elders and notables should be constituted at sub-divisional (erstwhile-FR) level aiming to ensure the tribal elders consultation to resolve the tribal people’s issues and problems.

He expressed these views while chairing a high level meeting at Governor House, Peshawar on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by K-P Home Secretary Ikramullah Khan, Governor’s Principal Secretary  Nizamuddin and all deputy commissioner’s tribal districts and assistant commissioners of sub division’s (erstwhile FR).

The suggestion from Shah Farman comes at a time when the jurisdiction of judiciary, courts, police and all other departments has been extended to tribal areas.

The governor said that tribal jirgas should be constituted as per law and constitution and according to the culture of the tribal people, but nothing will be accepted contrary to the law and constitution of the country.

“The tribal jirga would act like alternative dispute resolution forum where problems of the tribal people would be solved by their own elders according to their norms and culture and tribal people will have right to nominate members for jirga”, he added.

The governor also directed deputy commissioner’s tribal districts to identify the number of tribes and their population at sub divisional level as representation in the jirga would be given on the total size of the tribe.

Farman said: “We are not going to act against the law but our purpose is to get the tribal elders in the loop so as to seek their opinion, comments to redress the people grievances.”

The governor said that people of merged districts would get all facilities like other developed cities of the country along with existing facilities. “We have to give respect to the honour and dignity of the tribal people as the entire nation admires the sacrifices of the tribal people in the name of the country,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2019.