Demanding justice: Elders of Khogakhel tribe start hunger strike

Protest against Landikotal political administration for arresting ‘innocent’ teenager.

LANDI KOTAL: The elders of Khogakhel tribe have started a hunger strike in protest against the political administration of Landikotal for allegedly arresting a teenage boy and detaining him against the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR).

The political administration had allegedly arrested Maaz Shinwari, a Matric student, after a brawl between some members of his tribe and those of another at Landikotal Bazaar. The arrest was made before matriculation exams commenced in the agency.

The brother of the detained boy, Mirajuddin Shinwari, who is the chairman of All Customs Clearance Agents Torkham and president of Khyber Sports, said Maaz is innocent and has been arrested illegally. Mirajuddin alleged the administration arrested his brother against FCR rules according to which a person who is above 60 years and below 18 years of age cannot be held captive.

He said he sent several applications, requesting the release of Maaz before his annual exams but the political administration did not let the boy take his exams, wasting his academic year.

Members of Khogakhel tribe protested to demand the release of Maaz a week ago and had given the deadline of April 15. They had threatened to go on a hunger strike if the administration did not release Maaz. Since their demand was not met, they started their hunger strike on Wednesday.

During the protest, Mirajuddin said they would continue the strike till Maaz is released and Landikotal Assistant Political Agent Tayyeb Abdullah and Tehsildar Daftar Khan are transferred.

The protesters alleged the political administration officials were creating differences among tribes of various agencies. They said the officials registered illegal cases against tribesmen.

The administration officials, added Mirajuddin, also stop tribesmen from meeting their relatives who are in the prison. He stated this was against their rights and no human rights organisations are taking action against it.

However, APA Tayyeb Abdullah said he has so far solved 87 cases in the agency and they are working on providing easy and low-cost justice to residents. He said they arrested Maaz after he beat a levies official during the brawl.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2015.