Alternate dispute resolution: Tribal jirga vows to materialise peace
Heads back to Bannu after meeting corps commander, governor .
The jirga aims to restore peace in the restive North Waziristan Agency (NWA) in 15 days. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
The grand jirga of tribal elders that visited the Peshawar corps commander on Friday has returned to Bannu with the aim to continue the peace process the Taliban negotiation committee started.
The jirga aims to restore peace in the restive North Waziristan Agency (NWA) in 15 days.
Led by Haji Sher Muhammad Khan, the successor of the Faqir of Ipi, the jirga had arrived from Bannu and met Peshawar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Khalid Rabbani and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Khan Abbasi, along with several officials of the FATA Secretariat. On Saturday, the tribal elders made their journey back to Bannu.
Talking to journalists before leaving, Haji Sher said the negotiation committee appointed by the Taliban and led by Maulana Samiul Haq played a great role in the restoration of peace. He added that now the jirga would complete the remaining part of the task.
Haji Sher contended that he had the support of the tribesmen of Waziristan and the elements that were causing unrest in the area would not be allowed to disrupt the peace process and the jirga’s work. The jirga will meet with the Taliban Shura soon, the elder added.
On Friday, consultations between the 65-member tribal jirga and corps commander Rabbani reached the conclusion that tribal elders will play their role in restoring peace in North Waziristan and had 15 days to achieve that target.
Speaking on behalf of the tribesmen, Haji Sher told the gathering that a military operation has never been a solution to the problems NWA was facing, and now tribal elders should be given the opportunity to restore peace.
He claimed they would force foreign militants out, secure government installations and put an end to attacks carried out on security forces’ convoys. “If we fail to do so, the government can go forward and launch a military operation in North Waziristan,” Haji Sher added.
General Rabbani then gave the jirga 15 days to normalise the agency’s situation and report to the general officer commanding of North Waziristan, who will then decide the future course of action accordingly.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2014.
The grand jirga of tribal elders that visited the Peshawar corps commander on Friday has returned to Bannu with the aim to continue the peace process the Taliban negotiation committee started.
The jirga aims to restore peace in the restive North Waziristan Agency (NWA) in 15 days.
Led by Haji Sher Muhammad Khan, the successor of the Faqir of Ipi, the jirga had arrived from Bannu and met Peshawar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Khalid Rabbani and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Khan Abbasi, along with several officials of the FATA Secretariat. On Saturday, the tribal elders made their journey back to Bannu.
Talking to journalists before leaving, Haji Sher said the negotiation committee appointed by the Taliban and led by Maulana Samiul Haq played a great role in the restoration of peace. He added that now the jirga would complete the remaining part of the task.
Haji Sher contended that he had the support of the tribesmen of Waziristan and the elements that were causing unrest in the area would not be allowed to disrupt the peace process and the jirga’s work. The jirga will meet with the Taliban Shura soon, the elder added.
On Friday, consultations between the 65-member tribal jirga and corps commander Rabbani reached the conclusion that tribal elders will play their role in restoring peace in North Waziristan and had 15 days to achieve that target.
Speaking on behalf of the tribesmen, Haji Sher told the gathering that a military operation has never been a solution to the problems NWA was facing, and now tribal elders should be given the opportunity to restore peace.
He claimed they would force foreign militants out, secure government installations and put an end to attacks carried out on security forces’ convoys. “If we fail to do so, the government can go forward and launch a military operation in North Waziristan,” Haji Sher added.
General Rabbani then gave the jirga 15 days to normalise the agency’s situation and report to the general officer commanding of North Waziristan, who will then decide the future course of action accordingly.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2014.