DI KHAN:
The uprooted youth of the Mehsud tribe on Saturday denounced the decision of their displacement taken by the Ahmadzai Wazir tribe following a suicide attack on Taliban commander Mullah Nazir in South Waziristan.
This was the first jirga of the immigrant tribe in which they condemned the decision of the pro-government Taliban commander.
They passed a resolution saying Mehsud and Wazir tribes are like two brothers in South Waziristan, and that they expected the Ahmadzai tribe to deal with the displaced Mehsud tribesmen according to tribal customs and traditions.
“The decision is unjust and cruel,” said Jamal Hussain, who presided over the jirga. He added that the youth of both tribes will play their role in defusing prevailing tension and avoiding a widening of the spilt.
Hussain said the Mehsud and Wazir tribes have collectively rendered sacrifices to defend the sovereignty of Pakistan. He said they fought in the 1961 and 1971 wars against the Indian Army, adding the government’s attitude towards them has greatly disappointed the tribes now.
He also criticised the political administration for failing to take any steps to provide relief to scores of displaced families. “The government needs to take immediate steps to provide them with basic facilities in this hour of distress.”
Another youth of the Mehsud tribe, Abdul Majid Lagaree said his tribe wants education, not arms. He maintained the government should implement alternative measures for providing education.
Participants of the Jirga also held a peace walk from Haq Nawaz Park to DI Khan Press Club, carrying banners and placards inscribed with ‘we want peace in Waziristan, we want education: we condemn the war on terror.’
Meanwhile, naib ameer of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Maulvi Muhammad Hashim said in a news conference in South Waziristan Agency that the government should do its utmost to provide relief to Mehsud tribesmen, who were facing immense problems.
He criticised the political agent of the agency for remaining apathetic to the people’s miseries.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2012.
COMMENTS (11)
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Why are ignorant Pakistanis blaming the whole of Mehsud tribe for the trouble in South Waziristan? Pakistan government supports Taliban factions that wreak havoc in Afghanistan. Why do these patriotic Pakistanis not feel sorry for the innocent people killed across the Durandline. Besides, do you even know what the heck is the Frontier Crimes Regulation? It has been imposed on FATA for over a hundred years and you blame the people of FATA for having resentment against the state of Pakistan? Very rich coming from a class ignorant Pakistanis who have no idea about such things 'collective punishment', having no voting rights until 1997, national assembly members having no power to legislate for FATA itself, the poeple of the tribal areas having no representation in a provincial assembly, Pakistan Army using FATA schools and hospitals as military barracks and posts. I can go on counting the injustices stretching over decades all done when the the tribal areas are constitutionally inferior to the rest of Pakistan. What do you expect except blind and violent resentment. So shut your traps if you don't know the truth about FATA. Can you even tell what FATA means? Another misnomer of the Pakistani establishment for Pashtun territories.
Becasuse of these cruel Mehsud terrorists, whole mehsud tribe has been suffering. I think mehsuds being a "proud tribe" should now realize that they are not their well wishers. They should now stand against them.
Send them to India, as they don't like Pakistan and fighting against their own country / its poor people.
These mehsuds are creating trouble in Ahmedzai Wazir areas and they want that Wazirs should also stand up against the Govt. These mehsud terrorists are funded by foreign agencies. They are terrorists and they need to be kicked out from Wazir areas. They eat from Pakistan, live in Pakistan, suck blood of Pakistan and they do not feel shame that they are fighting against Pakistan. Bloody Ghadaars??? They are serving foreign agenda and fighting every where in the country. We as a nation should kick them out from Pakistan.
@academic @something clever..
I have one q to the both of you..Who spilled thier blood, lost everything in the wars fought so that you could sit their and criticise the less fortunate..the same whose forefathers fought valiantly so you and your household could be left spared. yes they are "backward" in your eyes and live in the middle ages,..did any of you or your people reach out to them and give them an education.you need to look at the bigger picture.
Hussain said the Mehsud and Wazir tribes have "collectively rendered sacrifices to defend the sovereignty of Pakistan". He said they fought in the 1961 and 1971 wars against the Indian Army, adding the government’s attitude towards them has greatly disappointed the tribes now.
Who fought in Kashmir? Imagine losing all that you have in those wars, promised things when they come back and what..nothing..whats the word..oh yeah "cannon fodder"..is that what you feel these people are..I say to you all then..They were once and still are a valiant people who lived by the sword and had a code of conduct.they had no quarrle with anyone lest you had a problem with them.they would give and have sacrificed thier lives for Pakistan and her people...what are they known as.."the noble savage"
The unfortunate aspect of all this will be that things will stay in the status quo like they always have. The Waziri/Mehsud tribes will swear vengeance and when trouble comes knocking, the people will wonder, what went wrong..
The solution to this..do not ignore or deny them..help them in whatever capacity you can..if you cant at least say something good, then dont criticise them..they are a disillusioned people who want what anyone wants, education, health, employment..they are no different to anyone else..look at the youths in London when they rioted last year..over what..?probably the same things..what was the theme of the olympic games about..for the youth of tommorow. help them is all i say..
Before you guys pass on judgement and deny the basic rights of these people, I suggest you have a deep thought process regarding this and safegurad those that protected you from the onslaught of your enemies.
I think displacing of mehsud tribe from wana is very unjust and this will pave way destroying peace in south wazirstan
I am shocked at the comments above. How could you be so apathetic to your own countrymen? Do you think it is because of the tribes that Pakistan's laws are not extended to these areas? Please wake up, its the policy of the security establishment to keep these areas as buffer states between Pak and Afghanistan. Besides that, the establishment wants an area to continue with their stupid policies of extending their idiotic agenda of having influence in Afghanistan. By the way, you should also understand that its the tribes in these areas who paid the most price for all this militancy. They have lost their lands, their businesses, their customs and even their pride. The least they deserve is some empathy. Will you believe that tribals had no right to vote until 2004? These people have been treated like slaves and worse.
The mehsud tribe refuses to condemn their own who are killing Pakistanis left, right and center. They refuse to join other militias to deal with the Taliban . They refuse to let any democratic setup or laws to be used in their land. And then they make demands? Either live in the middle ages or come to a civilized setup. There is no in between.
It is bad to displace people. King Abdullah should settle them in Saudi Arabia. That is a big country.
Tribal areas do not even pay for their electricity.
So they expect the same things other people in a country gets without having to live under the same laws/government. That doesn't seem fair.