Jirga demands blanket action to end lawlessness in Bannu

BANNU: A joint grand jirga of various tribes on Sunday demanded a blanket action against all armed outfits operating in Bannu to restore peace to the region.

The jirga was convened at Qazi Fazl Qadir Shaheed Park after a spike in the target killings in the Bannu district over the past several weeks.

Political leaders, workers, and former and present members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly attended the event.

Notable in attendance were Malik Mir Shamd Khan, Member National Assembly (MNA) Maulana Syed Nasim Ali Shah, Provincial Minister Malik Pakhtun Yar Khan, former minister Malik Shah Muhammad Wazir, Chief of Janikhel tribe Malik Moweez Khan, Malik Zafar Hayat Khan, Miriyan Tehsil Chairman Pir Kamal Shah, Domail Tehsil Chairman Asrar Khan Wazir, former Domail nazim Fida Muhammad Khan, Malik Nisar Khan of the Qaumi Political Alliance, Malik Zahraan Khan of PTI, Malik Omar Hayat Khan, former speaker of the provincial assembly Haji Abdul Samad Khan, former provincial assembly speaker Maulana Ahmed Allah Haqqani, Mufti Islam Noor, Amal Khan and other leaders.

Speakers said the ongoing insecurity had not only disrupted daily life but also led to the boycott of the polio campaign, depriving thousands of children of the vaccination.

They were concerned at the alarming activities of armed groups in the Bannu district and its adjacent areas, where these groups have established permanent offices in each tehsil. These groups, they alleged, were imposing their own rules and interfering in local affairs.

The jirga criticised the government and local administration after accusing them of having failed to restore peace and security, stating both the divisional and district administrations have failed to establish government authority.

The speakers stressed that the unrest in Bannu had reached a level where citizens from all walks of life feel unsafe, with frequent kidnappings and killings which had led to an atmosphere of fear.

They expressed concerns at the presence of armed organisations’ offices in Bannu, which, they said, had eroded public confidence in the government.

The jirga leaders announced more plans for protests and jirgas to demand the restoration of peace and an end to the unrest.

They made it clear that the provincial government, divisional administration, and elected representatives lacked the power to guarantee security.

Father killed resisting son’s abduction: A man was killed while attempting to rescue his son from being kidnapped by the armed group here on Sunday.

Qadir Zaman was shot dead during a confrontation with the armed group members who abducted his son.

Following the incident, a protest was held and later the area residents moved Zaman’s body to the village for burial.