DI KHAN:
Hundreds of Mehsud tribesmen have started evacuating their houses in Wana, the main town of South Waziristan Agency, as Mullah Nazir’s deadline came to an end on Wednesday.
On December 1, Mullah Nazir, a pro-government Taliban commander in South Waziristan, in a jirga with Ahmadzai Wazir tribal elders, ordered all Mehsud tribesmen – both militants and internally displaced persons (IDPs) – to evacuate Ahmedzai Wazir areas, which include Wana, by December 5. The announcement came in response to the November 29 suicide attack which targeted Nazir.
Following the Pakistan Army’s Operation Rah-e-Nijat in the Mehsud areas of Sarwakai and Ladha, the government settled displaced Mehsud families in the Ahmadzai Wazir-dominated Shakai, Kari Kot, Speen Wam and Azam Warsak areas.
“More than 200 families have started to leave Wana… most Mehsud tribesmen in Shakai have left their houses,” a senior political administration official from Wana told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, adding there was no proper registration process in place for the exodus.
“Administration officials have been directed to facilitate the Mehsud tribesmen leaving Wana by relaxing Rahdari (travel permit) requirements,” the official maintained. He said most Mehsud families were expected to move to Tank and DI Khan, and a significant number could opt for Balochistan’s Zhob district.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Wana resident Abid Khan said a large number of vehicles carrying Mehsud families and their belongings were seen heading towards Tank and DI Khan.
“Most of the vehicles, loaded with women and children, were held up at checkposts and awaited security clearance,” he added.
Shah Zaman, a Mehsud tribesman settled in Tank, told The Express Tribune that neither the government nor other tribesmen living in the district had made prior arrangements for the displaced Mehsud families entering the area.
“We are unsure if the militants belonging to the Mehsud tribe are still present in the area or have moved elsewhere,” the political administration official maintained meanwhile. However, according to a tribal elder from the region, the Mehsud militants have left Wana and moved to unknown locations.
Talking to The Express Tribune, an Ahmadzai Wazir tribal elder admitted it was impossible to evacuate all Mehsud tribesmen for the area.
“Some of them are serving in the Wana political administration, many have had businesses here for more than a decade,” he said, adding “it is unclear how those Mehsud tribesmen will be dealt with.”
The elder said other tribal elders, from Dottani and Suleman Khel tribes, were in touch with Mullah Nazir to convince him to relax his decision for those Mehsud tribesmen who were living in the area peacefully.
“Negotiations for another jirga to decide the fate of such Mehsud tribesmen are underway,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2012.
COMMENTS (14)
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@Ayesha
"Do whatever please dont come back to Punjab.
I am sick of these warlords and the afghanis who come to our peaceful land to become criminals and kill us peace-loving people.
Perhaps, Indian and Pakistani Punjabi should unite and make Punjab. A beautiful peaceful, peace-loving and a progressive country!"
You are sick of all these warlords and the afghanis (sic) who come to your peaceful land to become criminals and kill us peace loving people...what in heavens are you talking about?
Punjabis are responsible for all the terror in Pakistan and Afghanistan and they use the gullible Pashtuns as their scapegoats. All the terror outfits are headed by Punjabis but nobody in Pakistan wants to point fingers at them because Punjabis control the government and military and Afghan Pashtuns have become an easy and convenient target.
By the way, Indian Punjabis have nothing in common with their Pakistani counterparts except for their language and the same goes for Afghan Pashtuns and Pakistani Pashtuns.
Do whatever please dont come back to Punjab.
I am sick of these warlords and the afghanis who come to our peaceful land to become criminals and kill us peace-loving people.
Perhaps, Indian and Pakistani Punjabi should unite and make Punjab. A beautiful peaceful, peace-loving and a progressive country!
is this area comes under the pakistan? if yes where law enforcement agencies? or they have their own law and free what ever they want to do. i am requesting that IDPs are already distrub and now where they go? what they did wrong to suffer?
@ss: Seems you are unable to understand the intended "pun".
@Much Amused: why you guys scared of every pakistanis other than MQM walas?
Welcome to Karachi. Planned exodus. Increase vote bank in Karachi.
The tribal areas are autonomous and the writ of the tribal jirga is officially the law of the land. The FCR (Frontier Crimes Regulation) laws believe a tribe can be punished for mistakes of some of its members because they are responsible for controlling their members. The law envisages the tribe as a unit rather then an individual as a unit. SO its legal for the Ahmed-ZAi wazir jirga to decide not to allow Mehsuds to live in their area. Not breaking any law here
@Abdul The porous border and the situation in Afghanistan is the main obstacle...
@Martee : Sir can you explain to us as to why you consider Something Clever's comments stupid ?? I believe he raised a valid question, unless you were being sarcastic here ?
Where are those sympathisers and supporters of terrorists in media and elsewhere who raise hue and cry over drone attacks as the voilations of sovereignty of Pakistan? Isn't it a violation of sovereignty that one group is asking another group to leave a particular area.
@Something Clever
That comment was definitely something stupid
These simple die-hard muslims have to face wrath for few disgruntled and no govt /pol party comes to there rescue.
Could someone tell me how this happens so casually and Pakistan still claims sovereignty over the area and counts those people as its citizens?