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WANA: The political administration and elders of Ahmadzai Wazir tribe have failed to reach a consensus about the presence of foreign and non-local militants in South Waziristan Agency.
Sources said that a jirga of elders, convened by Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah on Saturday over the thorny issue of presence of militants in the tribal region, remained inconclusive.
About 120 members of a peace committee, which is facilitating mediations between the government and militants, also attended the jirga.
Official sources said that Mr Shah told the elders to expel local and foreign militants from the Ahmadzai Wazir dominated area as soon as possible.
He said that killing of foreign and non-local militants in the recent drone attacks had proved existence of their networks in Waziristan.
He said that two foreigners and several outsiders were killed in the drone attack on a compound.
“This is in the interest of the tribal people to expel militants and eliminate their network from the area as soon as possible, otherwise drone attacks and military action will continue,” an official source quoted the political agent as saying.
He told the elders that according to the peace agreement, signed between the government and tribesmen in 2007, local people would not provide sanctuaries to outsiders. Under the agreement, he reminded, tribal people would not offer shelter to foreigners.
“Like Mehsuds, Ahmadzai Wazir will suffer if they do not take collective action against militants,” he said. Militant Commander Maulvi Nazir, who had signed deal with the government, did not attend the jirga.
On the other hand elders said that political administration should identify the places where non-locals and foreigners were staying and the tribes would take action against them.
They said that tribesmen still honoured the peace deal and were ready to wipe out militants from their area.
Malik Sungeen, an elder of the Ahmadzai Wazir, said that outsiders were coming through checkposts being manned by the security forces.
“Foreigners and other elements cannot come to the area by air. They come to the area only by road,” he said.
Sources said that outsiders, mostly militants from Punjab, were coming to South Waziristan in public transport and paramilitary forces and khasadars manning checkposts on the main roads ignored them.
“Soldiers are supposed to monitor movement of outsiders, but they are checking identity of local people. Soldiers even can’t look at the people having long hair,” an elder said.
Long hairs have become a common feature of the Taliban in the area.
The residents of the area said that Taliban belonging to Punjab had set up offices in Wana and other areas.
“They have rented houses of the tribesmen in villages,” they said. These outsiders are offering several incentives including free transport and financial help to the tribesmen to win hearts and minds of the people, particularly youngsters.
Local people said that increasing movement of the US drones over the area had terrified the militants and they were moving in small groups. Their commanders have gone underground to avoid drone attack.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/...nsensus--bi-03
Sources said that a jirga of elders, convened by Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah on Saturday over the thorny issue of presence of militants in the tribal region, remained inconclusive.
About 120 members of a peace committee, which is facilitating mediations between the government and militants, also attended the jirga.
Official sources said that Mr Shah told the elders to expel local and foreign militants from the Ahmadzai Wazir dominated area as soon as possible.
He said that killing of foreign and non-local militants in the recent drone attacks had proved existence of their networks in Waziristan.
He said that two foreigners and several outsiders were killed in the drone attack on a compound.
“This is in the interest of the tribal people to expel militants and eliminate their network from the area as soon as possible, otherwise drone attacks and military action will continue,” an official source quoted the political agent as saying.
He told the elders that according to the peace agreement, signed between the government and tribesmen in 2007, local people would not provide sanctuaries to outsiders. Under the agreement, he reminded, tribal people would not offer shelter to foreigners.
“Like Mehsuds, Ahmadzai Wazir will suffer if they do not take collective action against militants,” he said. Militant Commander Maulvi Nazir, who had signed deal with the government, did not attend the jirga.
On the other hand elders said that political administration should identify the places where non-locals and foreigners were staying and the tribes would take action against them.
They said that tribesmen still honoured the peace deal and were ready to wipe out militants from their area.
Malik Sungeen, an elder of the Ahmadzai Wazir, said that outsiders were coming through checkposts being manned by the security forces.
“Foreigners and other elements cannot come to the area by air. They come to the area only by road,” he said.
Sources said that outsiders, mostly militants from Punjab, were coming to South Waziristan in public transport and paramilitary forces and khasadars manning checkposts on the main roads ignored them.
“Soldiers are supposed to monitor movement of outsiders, but they are checking identity of local people. Soldiers even can’t look at the people having long hair,” an elder said.
Long hairs have become a common feature of the Taliban in the area.
The residents of the area said that Taliban belonging to Punjab had set up offices in Wana and other areas.
“They have rented houses of the tribesmen in villages,” they said. These outsiders are offering several incentives including free transport and financial help to the tribesmen to win hearts and minds of the people, particularly youngsters.
Local people said that increasing movement of the US drones over the area had terrified the militants and they were moving in small groups. Their commanders have gone underground to avoid drone attack.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/...nsensus--bi-03
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