 |
 |
| Sectarian conflict in Kurram Agency shocking: Owais |
|
|
|
| Wednesday, June 03, 2009 |
| PESHAWAR: NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has said the continuous sectarian conflict in Kurram Agency has resulted in killings that is shocking for the nation. Talking to two representative Jirgas of both sects from the Kurram Agency that called on him at the Frontier House in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said the government had been taking every possible step to restore the atmosphere of peace and confidence in the area. He added that delegations, comprising renowned Ulema and religious scholars from across the country, were also involved, but no worthwhile progress could be made. Even now, Owais said, there seemed no visible sign of improvement in the situation. Therefore, the government had left with no other option but to take the right step to restore peace in the area, he added. He made it clear that the government was also aware of the loss of human lives in the wake of the continued conflict. To avoid further killings and to make start of the reconstruction process possible, peaceful atmosphere had to be restored in the area, he added. Owais pointed out that the Kurram Agency was situated along the Afghan border, therefore, its residents must realise that the root cause of the law and order situation, being faced in Fata and the province, was, in fact, the state of anarchism, prevailing in the region for the last 30 years. Even today, he added, poppy cultivation in the neighbouring country, coupled with smuggling of its production, was proving a lifeline for sustenance of extremism and terrorism in the area. He said there was no doubt that disturbances from the law and order point of view and the war-like situation, being experienced from Waziristan in the south and Swat in the north, was mainly because of external conspiracy, which had put the nation to the test. He, however, made it clear that the writ of the government would be established in every area. Visible success in this respect had already been achieved and peace in the Kurram Agency would be restored at all costs, he said. Owais pointed out that all those who had left the Kurram Agency because of the continued sectarian conflict would return to their homes and atmosphere of tolerance would be restored. He said neither any external involvement would be allowed nor any alien would get the opportunity to disturb the atmosphere in the area in the future. The development and reconstruction process in the Kurram Agency, he added, was subject to restoration of peace. Responding to various points raised by members of the delegations, the governor said internal differences provided the opportunities of involvement to the alien and there was a dire need that elders of the area should share the grievances of all the aggrieved. |
Visit
or join
