Miranshah, May 28, 2014—Influential elders held a jirga in Mir Ali this Tuesday to urge the government to cease the aerial attacks on Waziristan. The jirga members expressed concern about the high numbers of people killed and demanded that government dialogue with them about the law and order situation.
The meeting was hosted by the Haji Sher Mohammad Khan, the nephew of the Faqir of Ipi, the anti-colonial rebel who led several campaigns against the British in the early 20th century. Haji Sher said that, “The aim of the jirga is to establish peace in the country in general and in Waziristan in particular.”
Elders from the Wazir and Dawar tribes attended the meeting. This was the first time in the last decade that such a high-level jirga was held in Waziristan.
The group demanded that the government abide by the September 2006 peace accord it had agreed to with the Utmanzai Wazir tribe in which, among other things, the government had agreed to cease military operations in exchange for refraining from attacking law enforcement or government property.
The meeting also demanded an immediate end to the Pakistan Army’s bombing and time from the government for the jirga to resolve the disputes that have overtaken the region.
Separately, students held protests against the indiscriminate attacks by the Pakistani Army on North Waziristan. The students from Quaid-e-Azam University were joined by the Awami Workers Party and the National Students Federation to demand a judicial probe into the killings.
Army attacks
The Pakistani army launched its latest over a week ago. The operation has included the involvement of ground troops as well as aerial bombing. Pakistani fighter jets bombed parts of North Waziristan. An army spokesman claimed that more than 70 militants including “hardcore terrorists” had been killed. But, residents say the attacks have been indiscriminate.
Photos posted on social media sites show wounded and bloodied children, many of them dead.
Check out TQ’s prior coverage on army attacks, elections and more on FATA here.
