Friends of the govt: Salarzai tribesmen express resolve to fight militancy

Decide in jirga to make pro-govt committee functional again.

KHAR: In a jirga in Bajaur Agency on Thursday, the Salarzai pro-government committee decided to make the committee functional again and increase peace militia patrolling along the Pak-Afghan border area.

The jirga was convened in Khar, headquarters of the agency, in which Commandant Bajaur Scouts Colonel Mir Amir Ali, Assistant Political Agent of Khar, Asad Sarwar, and Bajaur Agency Political Agent Syed Abdul Jabbar Shah participated and addressed tribal elders.



Commandant Bajaur Scouts Mir Amir Ali said Salarzai tribesmen have rendered numerous sacrifices for maintaining peace in the region along with thwarting multiple cross border attacks. The commandant added that at times when the entire Bajaur Agency was under the grip of militants it was the Salarzai tribesmen who stood against them and paid a heavy price for wiping militancy from the region.

The official said tribesmen in Salarzai keep their eyes open against suspicious movement of people who visit their area and inform security forces in case suspicion against such people is determined.

Salarzai tribesmen stressed all pro-government committees in the region should be functional again and that as per the jirga decision if any tribesmen shelters a suspect in the area, they will be fined Rs2 million while their house will be torched and they will be forced to leave the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2014.