Tariq Saeed Peshawar
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Ameen Gandapur has agreed to present within 48 hours the Bannu Jirga demands to the KP Apex Committee, which includes both military and political leadership to coordinate security matters besides removing the concerns of the people of Bannu in the wake of tragic incident on July 19 that left several people dead and over two dozen wounded during a Peace March.
The Jirga meeting, held at the Chief Minister’s House and presided over by Gandapur, was attended by around 60 elders and members of the Bannu Jirga that has expressed its resentment towards the military operation in the region. They have also put forth 11 demands to the CM KP including early recovery of the missing persons, empowering the local administration and the Counter Terrorism Department Police to act against the terrorists and Taliban and honouring the sanctity of the madrassas and the houses of the local people which they said was creating great unrest among the dwellers. Key officials, including the Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Inspector General of Police, Regional Police Officer Bannu, Commissioner, and Deputy Commissioner also attended the Jirga. On Saturday, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, it may be recalled, had announced to form a judicial commission to investigate the outbreak of violence at a Bannu Peace March, which turned into a sit-in after the incident. Jirga president Nasir Khan Bangash said that the Chief Minister listened to Bannu Jirga demands and assured that a meeting of the provincial Apex Committee would be convened within 48 hours to discuss them. Five representatives from the Jirga will participate in the Apex Committee meeting. Bangash noted that the sit-in protest in Bannu will continue, and on Friday, Gandapur will visit Bannu to present the Apex Committee’s decision to the protest participants. Once the decision is presented, the sit-in protest will be called off. Barrister Saif, spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister, said that during meeting of the Bannu Peace Committee held at the Chief Minister’s House, CM Gandapur interacted with the Peace Committee members, discussing the situation in Bannu and the issue of terrorism. He thanked the Peace Committee for their cooperation in restoring peace and order in Bannu.
It was decided that the KP Apex Committee meeting will be held on Thursday to discuss all matters related to terrorism and formulate a policy to restore peace and security in the province. The Jirga members demanded that the record about the missing persons be presented before the court, also asking to stop raiding the houses of the locals and the Madrassas in the name of a search operation that was only flaring up the people. They have also demanded to abolish hotbeds of Taliban in the region through effective strategy involving the local police with special reference to CTD Police.
