Struggle for identity: Jirga held to support Dawar Khel tribe’s demand for CNICs
Participants say the people are unable to trade, open bank accounts.
SHABQADAR:
A grand jirga of the Baizai Koda Khel tribe was held at the hujra of Tahir Akbar Khan, leader of the Mohmand People’s Alliance, to support the demand of the Dawar Khel tribe for computerised national identity cards (CNICs).
The jirga was held in Peshawar and attended by Senator Hilal Rehman, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Lawyer’s Forum chief Ijaz Mohmand and other tribal leaders.
Speaking at the occasion, Tahir Khan said the Dawar Khel tribe of Mohmand agency is a sub-tribe of the Baizai Koda Khel tribe, but was denied CNICs by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
The authorities said these people are living in Afghanistan and the political administration has been asked not to issue identity cards to them, maintained Khan.
A part of the community resides in Nazar Khel and other areas around the Durand line, but a majority of the tribe’s population lives in Mohmand Agency. Those settled in Peshawar are also facing the same problem.
Without proper identification, people of the tribe are unable to trade, open bank accounts and avail many facilities that regular citizens can.
Malik Shayan Baloch of Dawar Khel tribe said 70% of the tribe lives in Mohmand agency, but about 30% is settled across the border. “The government should issue CNICs to the 30% as well, as they are originally from Mohmand and have a right to vote from here.”
“We will raise the issue with concerned authorities and do our best to get people of the Dawar Khel tribe get CNICs so they can also vote,” stressed Hilal Rehman, while addressing participants of the jirga.
Ijaz Mohmand said the Dawar Khel tribe is a part of Mohmand Ageny and should be treated like other tribes. “What the political administration has done to the process of their identification is against human rights, as every citizen living in the country must be treated equally.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2012.
A grand jirga of the Baizai Koda Khel tribe was held at the hujra of Tahir Akbar Khan, leader of the Mohmand People’s Alliance, to support the demand of the Dawar Khel tribe for computerised national identity cards (CNICs).
The jirga was held in Peshawar and attended by Senator Hilal Rehman, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Lawyer’s Forum chief Ijaz Mohmand and other tribal leaders.
Speaking at the occasion, Tahir Khan said the Dawar Khel tribe of Mohmand agency is a sub-tribe of the Baizai Koda Khel tribe, but was denied CNICs by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
The authorities said these people are living in Afghanistan and the political administration has been asked not to issue identity cards to them, maintained Khan.
A part of the community resides in Nazar Khel and other areas around the Durand line, but a majority of the tribe’s population lives in Mohmand Agency. Those settled in Peshawar are also facing the same problem.
Without proper identification, people of the tribe are unable to trade, open bank accounts and avail many facilities that regular citizens can.
Malik Shayan Baloch of Dawar Khel tribe said 70% of the tribe lives in Mohmand agency, but about 30% is settled across the border. “The government should issue CNICs to the 30% as well, as they are originally from Mohmand and have a right to vote from here.”
“We will raise the issue with concerned authorities and do our best to get people of the Dawar Khel tribe get CNICs so they can also vote,” stressed Hilal Rehman, while addressing participants of the jirga.
Ijaz Mohmand said the Dawar Khel tribe is a part of Mohmand Ageny and should be treated like other tribes. “What the political administration has done to the process of their identification is against human rights, as every citizen living in the country must be treated equally.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2012.