June 13, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 27, 1428

SHIKARPUR, June 12: In order to seek an amicable solution to the ongoing tribal clashes, Sindh Home Secretary Ghulam Mohammad Mohtaram, presided over a meeting of the tribal chieftains, notables, elected representatives and police officers here on Tuesday.

The meeting decided to hold a conciliatory meeting for settlement of the ongoing tribal disputes in Shikarpur on July 1.

It nominated Mir Manzoor Khan Panhwar and Mir Yar Mohammad Khan Jamali as the Ameens to conduct the conciliatory proceedings for settlement of the disputes in the presence of district and police administrations.

Later, speaking at a press conference at the DPO office, the home secretary along with the PPO Sindh, Niaz Ahmed Siddiqui, said that Sindh government was determined to provide protection to life, honour and property of every citizen, and in this regard, all out efforts were being made to maintain peace on permanent basis “which was the prime responsibility of the government”.

They said that besides efforts to curb criminal activities and social evils, Sindh government was paying special attention for settlement of ongoing tribal feuds in Sindh, which had claimed many lives of the innocent people.

Mr Siddiqui said that the government never wanted to kill innocent people through police operation, but was against those who were involved in tribal disputes.

He said the government wanted permanent peace and calm in the areas which were declared no-go areas.

He said that no one would be allowed to take law in his own hand as strict measures were being taken to control the growing crime and trafficking of weapons in the province.

Referring to tribal feuds in the province, the home secretary said that professional criminals were involved in clashes who wanted to create lawlessness to achieve their ulterior motives.

Their nefarious designs would be foiled with the cooperation and coordination of the tribal chieftains of the areas, Mr Mohtaram said.

He said that ongoing tribal feuds were being settled through conciliatory proceedings and not jirgas system “because we disagree with such traditional courts”.

To a question, the home secretary said that the decision taken in the conciliation meeting would be implemented by Sindh government as guarantor.

The meeting was attended among others, by the district nazim of Shikarpur, Mohammad Arif Mahar, Sardar Muqeem Khan Khoso, Mir Manzoor Khan Panhwar, Mir Sohrab Khan Sarki, Mir Naseer Mohammad Khan Khoso, Sardar Maqbool Ahmed Shaikh, Mir Babal Khan Bhayo, MNA Dr Mohammad Ibrahim Jatoi, MPA Agha Taimoor Khan, MPA Zulfiqar Ali Kamario, MPA Faiz Mohammad Khan Mahar, Col (Rtd) Zia Siddiqui, PPO Sindh Niaz Ahmed Siddiqui, RPO Sukkur Mohammad Bachal Sangri, DIG Operation Larkana Akhtar Hussain Gorchani, and DPO Shikarpur Zulfiqar Ali Larik.