Demolition of ANP leader’s house on jirga orders thwarted

Aimal Wali hails district administration’s action for handling situation

PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party (ANP) has hailed the South Waziristan district administration for preventing the local Jirga from demolishing the house of its leader and termed the move a step towards eliminating the atmosphere of fear in the district.

South Waziristan district administration intervened and prevented a local Jirga of the Ahmedzai Wazir tribe from demolishing the house of former MPA and ANP leader Ayaz Wazir.

The Jirga in its meeting on Friday had decided to demolish Ayaz’s house for opposing its decision of handing over the security of the district to a local peace committee instead of district police.

The ANP leader has been sent to Wana Scouts Camp due to threats to his life.

Local elders, South Waziristan district administration officials and ANP leader Ayaz Wazir on Saturday again held talks after which the local elders assured that the house of Wazir would not be demolished. Security forces officials also participated in the meeting.

The ANP Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) President Aimal Wali Khan in a statement on Saturday they want rule of law in South Waziristan and elsewhere in the country. He also lauded party workers and all others who have opposed the peace committee which he said was trying to challenge writ of the state in the merged district.

Aimal also criticised the tribal chieftains’ role and added that any illegal and unlawful decision must be strike down as it was aimed to divide people of the area and would create chaos.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2020.