Jirga for deployment of troops at mountaintops in Kurram F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: 

The grand jirga of tribesmen mulling over to restore peace in the restive Kurram Agency Monday asked political administration of the Agency send contingents of the Frontier Corps (FC) to the hideouts of the rival groups to implement the ceasefire agreement earlier signed by elders of the two groups. Jirga member requested not to be named told The Frontier Post that the political administration seemed less authoritative to deploy forces at the mountaintops where the rival groups have taken positions against each other. He reviled that the jirga members asked the Political Agent Kurram to explain its position whether he has the authority to deploy the forces in case the rival groups left the hideouts vacant. The member said that Hungu jirga that had constituted earlier to broker a ceasefire agreement when requested to the political administration to send troops to the hideouts and take action against those who did not abide by the accord signed by them but the administration expressed his helplessness against the FC colonel who was also not ready to send the troops to restore peace in the area. This time, the member said the jirga members are committed to bring permanent peace in the troubled areas and expressed wish meet Prime Minister, NWFP Governor, Advisor on Interior and other high authorities in order to bring durable peace. Khursheed Anwar Jawadi, a member of the 'mediation committee' told this scribe that both the tribes have agreed on a ceasefire agreement and the political administration has also decided to send the troops to the mountaintops of the rival groups. He said that the jirga members of the two rival tribes have shown complete confidence over the mediation committee. He said the jirga members apprised the committee about their concerns that needs early actions to be acted upon including implementation of the ceasefire accord, deployment of troops in the warring areas, exchange of kidnappers, opening of Thall-Parachinar and protection to the lives and properties to the travelers and rehabilitation of the displaced families. He was confident that after these concerns were addressed, a permanent peace could be implemented in the restive Kurram Agency. A jirga member, Malik Sardar Hussain, who is representing Turi tribe expressed dissatisfaction over the implementation of the ceasefire agreement saying that until and unless the warring groups were not called back and troops were not deployed, it seems no success of the jirga. He said that they have told the committee that they are agree to resolve the land related disputes with the rival group as per Gazetteer of the Kurram Agency.

The Frontier Post

Tuesday, 

October 14, 2008, 

Shawal 14, 1429 A.H.