16 July 2004	Friday	27 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

KHAAR, July 15: A tribal jirga has called for steps to make the ban on political activities in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas more effective.

The jirga, comprising all the tribes of the Bajaur Agency, demanded that the federal government should enforce the ban on political activities more effectively, saying that the political groups should try their hand elsewhere.

The jirga members assured that tribesmen in Bajaur and other tribal agencies would not take part in any activities against tribal customs. Speaking at a joint press conference after the jirga, the tribal elders and maliks said that the government had banned political activities in the tribal agencies in the best interest of the people and in view of the sensitive nature of Fata, adding that all the tribesmen had welcomed the ban.

The tribal elders who spoke on the occasion included Chief of Mamond Malik Shahjehan, Malik Sardar Khan, Malik Amanullah, Malik Ayaz Khan, Malik Painda Mohammad and others.

They said that the tribesmen were peace-loving and patriotic citizens of the country. The political leaders who wanted to exploit the tribal areas for their vested interest could not hoodwink tribesmen through hollow slogans. Any relaxation in the ban on political activities in tribal agencies would affect law and order, they added.