Polio workers safer as police end protests

Bannu, Bajaur, Lakki districts reach agreements with officials

DERA ISMAIL KHAN:

Polio workers on the front lines in the southern districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa can breathe a little easier when it comes to their security as the police sit-ins and boycott of the ongoing vaccination campaign has come to an end in Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Bajaur districts.

In Lakki Marwat district, the end to the protest was largely credited to the efforts made by elders of the Marwat Qaumi Jirga. The Bannu regional police officer (RPO) has taken responsibility for the implementation of the agreement.

If the terms of the agreement are not implemented, the police officers will resume their sit-in. One of the conditions was that there would be no external interference in police authority and duties. It was reported from the area that implementation has already begun of the demands made by participants of the joint sit-in by police officers and the public.

One of the key wants of the sit-in was to close police stations located in remote and dangerous areas. In response to this, orders have been issued to relocate the Bargai police station to the Bakhmal checkpoint and the shift will be completed in the coming days. Also, the Bargai police station will be closed for the time being.

The police officers' protest -in, which had been ongoing for the last four days, ended late at night due to the efforts of the elders of the Marwat Qaumi Jirga. The negotiations between Lakki Marwat police and the Pakistan Army were successful.

The Marwat Qaumi Jirga elders, senior police officers, the administration, and senior military leadership played a significant role in ending the sit-in.

An agreement was made with the Lakki Marwat police in the presence of the Marwat Qaumi Jirga elders, senior police officers, the administration, and the military leadership to end the protest. According to the agreement, the police will be empowered, provided with armored vehicles and other resources, and there will be no external interference in police duties.

The agreement also stated that special care will be taken for police martyrs and injured. Another added condition to reach the agreement was that there would be no disciplinary action against the police officers or civilians who participated in the sit-in.

Meanwhile, the demonstration in Bannu also came to an end, with RPO Imran Shahid taking on the responsibility for ensuring the implementation of the agreement with authorities. The police officers stated that if the agreement was violated, the protest would not only resume in Lakki Marwat, but across the whole of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Bajaur police end protest

In Bajaur, policepersons ended their sit-in on Thursday evening after giving five days to the government to solve their problems.

On the orders of Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali, the Khar Assistant Commissioner, Dr Sadiq Ali Khan, successfully negotiated with the protesters through Bajaur tribal elders. As a result of efforts by the assistant commissioner and tribal elders, the negotiations were successful, and the organisers of the sit-in announced its conclusion.

Dr Sadiq Ali Khan held multiple rounds of talks with the protesters through the mediation of tribal elders. Neutral mediators and elders from Salarzai also participated in the negotiations, where the protesters' demands were thoroughly discussed.

After the negotiations, the protesters were assured that their compensation cases had been forwarded to PDMA and EOC for approval as soon as possible, with special attention to be given to the families of the martyrs.