Efforts underway for govt-militants accord

BARA - Amidst assembling of contingents of the paramilitary troops in Jamrud near Peshawar, tribal elders from Bara and Mulagori regions have initiated efforts for reconciliation between the government and the alleged militants.

Before embarking on mediation efforts, the 18-member tribal jirga from Bara has taken the administration into confidence whereas “confusion exists over efforts of the Mulagori tribesmen, who asked the militants to leave their soil within three days.” Such confusion is believed to have occurred due to the strategies of the government functionaries, who are finding out “pretexts” to enable them to stage Bara like drama also in Mulagori region.

The tribal sources informed that 18-member jirga headed by Amal Gul from Malik Din Khel tribe reached in the accessible Tirrah Valley where they entered into dialogue with Lashkar Islam chief Mangal Bagh. Besides Amal Gul who himself is Lashkar Islam supreme commander of his tribe, Shaukat, Haji Babu Jan Afridi, Ikhteyar Shah, Hasham Khan and Haji Yaseen are also included in the jirga.

Before leaving for the Tirrah Valley, the jirga members mostly affiliated with Lashkar Islam held a meeting with the Political authorities and offered their mediation efforts for reconciliation. Later, they left for Tirrah Valley. However, details of terms and conditions for the reconciliation are yet to be determined.

On the other hand an interesting situation erupted, when the officials in Political administration denied to involve themselves in the issue of warning to the Taliban who entered the soil of Mulagori tribesmen in Khyber Agency. The elders of Mulagori tribesmen claim that after taking the administration into confidence they asked the Taliban to leave their soil within three days otherwise the tribesmen would organise traditional lashkar against them.