Mohmand Agency: Jirga warns protest over elders’ detention

Say they will stop cooperating with the political administration if monetary benefits are not restored.

SHABQADAR: Tribal elders of Mohmand Agency on Thursday threatened the political administration to hold a protest outside the Governor House if elders arrested earlier are not released and the incentives provided to them not restored. 

Elders from Haleemzai, Issa Khel, Burhan Khel, Tarakzai, and other tribes participated in a grand tribal jirga convened at Ghalanai, Mohmand Agency.

The jirga was held after the administration stopped paying salaries to khasadar force personnel, citing their failure to perform duties. Monthly payments to a few influential Maliks were also blocked for not successfully ensuring collective responsibility, said the political agent.

Malik Ameer Nawaz Khan and Malik Zaitullah from the Haleemzai tribe lashed out at the administration for arresting 14 of their elders under the collective responsibility clause after security forces recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from Shani Khel, Haleemzai.



They questioned the motive behind the detention and maintained the elders had helped foil a terror plot.

Malik Ailam Khan, Malik Tamash Khan and Malik Mahmood Jan from the Issa Khel tribe claimed their region was only secured by the khasadar force, which could not be held accountable for any untoward incidents if they were not getting paid.

Malik Hakeem Saeed and Malik Nasrat Tarakzai noted the tribesmen had cooperated with officials on all fronts in spite of threats, but were now compelled to withdraw their support.

Participants concluded that elders would not visit the political agent’s office till Tuesday, after which they would convene another jirga if their demands are still not met.

Upper Mohmand Agency Assistant Political Agent Jamshed Khan told The Express Tribune a majority of the khasadar force personnel were drawing salaries through their maliks, but both were ignoring their duties.

“Most of the maliks are not even complying with the collective responsibility clause of the Frontier Crime Regulations,” said Khan.

He, however, added that negotiations were underway to address the jirga’s concerns peacefully.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2013.