Salarzai tribe warns state of boycott

The Salarzai tribe convened a grand jirga on Sunday at the residence of provincial assembly member Anwarzeb Khan, putting forward an eight?point set of demands aimed at ensuring peace, accountability, and protection for the community.

The jirga was attended by tribal elders, political workers, and community representatives, who later issued a formal declaration outlining their concerns.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, senior tribal elder Malik Gul Kareem Khan said the Salarzai tribe has a long history of loyalty to the state and has consistently stood by national institutions. He stated that this loyalty has made the tribe a target of terrorist groups, yet despite sacrifices, the community continues to face security threats. "We should not be targeted for our commitment to the state. Instead, the state must acknowledge our loyalty by ensuring our safety," he said.

One of the key demands relates to the recent drone strike targeting MPA Anwarzeb Khan, which the jirga described as an attack on the entire Salarzai tribe. Elders called for a judicial inquiry to determine the origin of the drone, who operated it, and under what authority it was deployed. They stressed that such incidents have no precedent in the region and must be prevented in the future.

The jirga also demanded the return of weapons previously collected from the tribe, clarification on the identities and investigation findings related to militants captured and handed over to security agencies by the tribe, and transparency regarding their origins.

In a strongly worded statement, the elders said that if the state is unable to maintain peace, the security budget should be handed over to the tribe, claiming they could restore peace in Bajaur and Mohmand within two months.

The Salarzai leadership further demanded the withdrawal of FIRs registered against political workers.