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| 21 April 2004 | Wednesday | 30 Safar 1425 |
Jirga seeks deadline extension
PESHAWAR, April 20: An inter-tribal jirga has sought an extension in the deadline given to South Waziristan tribes and clemency for five most wanted tribesmen accused of sheltering and supporting foreign militants.
The requests contained in a set of recommendations are to be presented to NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah when the 52-member inter-tribal jirga meets him at the Governor's House on Wednesday.
One of the leading figures of the tribal jirga that has representatives from all the seven tribal regions told Dawn that they would request the government to extend the deadline by another ten days - at least until May 1.
The governor had given tribesmen in South and North Waziristan tribal regions until April 20 to come up with a plan on how to deal with local and foreign militants who had taken shelter in their areas.
The deadline ended on Tuesday amid increased activity by a 2,000 strong Lashkar of armed tribal volunteers looking for foreign militants and their local protectors. The NWFP governor seemed inclined on extending the deadline when approached for comments on the recommendations of the inter- tribal jirga.
"Let me speak to them and see what they want. If they want a week or ten-day extension in the deadline, then I would like to know what are they aiming to deliver during that period. We want progress even if it is incremental. I see no harm in extending the deadline if there is positive activity to hunt down militants," the governor said.
Malik Waris Khan, a minister of state during Benazir Bhutto's government in the late '80s and one of the leading members of the inter-tribal jirga, told this reporter that they would also seek clemency for the most wanted tribal militants.
"If the government can announce clemency for foreign militants, then what is the harm in forgiving our own people," he said. He said that the five wanted tribesmen including their main leaders Nek Mohammad and Sharif would be asked to surrender to the tribal jirga once the government pardons them.
The militants, he said, would be asked to furnish tribal guarantees of future good conduct and giving up support to foreign militants. But, he made it clear that they would not be turned over to the government.
The government would also be asked for the release of what he called innocent people rounded up during the military operation in Kaloosha in March last, the release of salaries to tribal Khasadars (a paid tribal force) and Levy and re-opening of shops closed down under the collective responsibility clause of the 1901 Frontier Crimes Regulation.
"I hope the government would accept our recommendations," an optimistic Mr Khan from Khyber Agency said. The militants, however, repeatedly refused to give up their weapons or surrender to the government, saying they had no trust in a government that kowtowed to the United States.
"They ask us whether we believe in Allah or in Bush. Naturally, our answer is that we believe in Allah. Will this then mean that we are also Al Qaeda. People like Nek Mohammad have simple arguments, but it appeals to the minds of the simple tribesmen," Mr Khan, whose jirga had held several rounds of talks with the militants, said.
Government officials have confided to Dawn that the wanted militants had approached the military authorities in South Waziristan's regional headquarters, Wana, through tribal intermediaries, offering to live peacefully under tribal guarantees.
Officials said the intermediaries had conveyed to senior military officers in Wana that the militants did not wish to enter into another confrontation with the army and wanted to settle down peacefully, if allowed, and were willing to furnish guarantees from their Zalikhel-Yargulkhel tribe for the purpose.
The offer, knowledgeable sources said, had triggered debate in government circles on its pros and cons. While there are those who were willing to "let bygones be bygones" and give the militants a chance to live peacefully, another set of officials insist on nothing short of total surrender.
Officials who want the militants to lay down arms maintain the terms of such a surrender should be dictated by the government and not by the "other side". "They are criminals who have killed hostages in cold blood. Yes, there should be a negotiated settlement. Nobody wants bloodshed but the question is on whose terms should this take place," asked one official acknowledging the offer.
Earlier the governor, during an informal briefing with journalists, had broadly hinted at such a possibility.
Our correspondent from Wana adds: The tribal Lashkar that was hot on the pursuit of local and foreign militants has suspended its operation for three days. Citing problems, Lashkar commander Allahgai Wazir said he needed to rethink his strategy since the militants had moved into a tough, porous tribal region.
"The militants have moved into a tough mountainous area which is a difficult area to operate. So we want to sit and rethink our strategy," the 46 year-old veteran of several tribal Lashkars told Dawn.
However, a 400-member Lashkar has been left behind to look for the militants in Kaloosha, Shin Warsak and Azam Warsak areas. Zalikhel tribesmen have also convened a jirga on Wednesday to discuss the future course of action. The Lashkar commander and his men had also been summoned to speak their mind at the jirga, an elder said.
Tribesmen holding positions on hilltops around the camp colony to protect the offices of the political administration and Frontier Corps troops in Wana have returned tents and other logistics to the authorities after differences developed amongst some tribes on who should get how much.
An official in Wana acknowledged the problem, but said that the issue was being resolved and the tents and other logistical support would be distributed among Sheikh Bazid, Utmankhel and Kalakhel Wazirs in accordance with their due share.
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