July 20, 2007	Friday	Rajab 04, 1428

MANSEHRA, July 19: The district administration of Battagram has warned people who had ransacked and looted offices and warehouses of NGOs to return the goods by July 23, or face an operation, Dawn has learnt.

Hundreds of people, angered over the Lal Masjid operation, had ransacked the offices and warehouses of the Save the Children, French Red Crescent, Unicef, Sarhad Rural Support Programme, Care International and other NGOs and set them on fire. They had also looted relief goods, including sewing machines, CGI sheets, office furniture and pipes worth millions of rupees.

On Thursday, tribes of the Allai tehsil held a jirga in Banna Allai, which was attended by deputy district police officer Azizur Rehman, Allai Tehsil Nazim Gohar Khan and other district officials.

Azizur Rehman and Gohar Khan said the goods looted by the protesters were meant for earthquake survivors.

“Holding a peaceful demonstration is people’s right but looting relief goods of NGOs on the pretext of protest is a heinous crime. The culprits should return the looted goods immediately,” they said.

They said the government did not want to use force and wanted to settle the issue peacefully, but if the goods were not retuned by Monday, police and the FC would launch an operation against the accused.

They said NGOs had suspended their reconstruction and rehabilitation activities in the area and as a result, widows, orphans and shelterless people were suffering.

They sought the support of tribal elders to ensure NGOs continued their reconstruction and rehabilitation activities in Allai. The elders assured the district administration of their support.

The jirga announced that another session would be held soon to decide whether or not NGOs should be allowed to work in Allai.

Earlier, a jirga of tribes had banned women staff of NGOs from working in the Allai tehsil.