April 03, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 25, 1429

PESHAWAR, April 2: After holding fruitless talks with the Bara-based organisation Lashkar-i-Islam, elders of Khalil and Mohmand tribes vowed to force government to take legal action against its chief, who they blamed for killing 12 persons and injuring 15 others at Shaikhan village on March 3.

In this connection a jirga of both the tribes was held at the residence of Younus Khan here on Wednesday. The meeting discussed in detail the issue of enmity with Lashkar-i-Islam chief Mangal Bagh.

The participants of the meeting said that Mangal Bagh had attacked the Shaikhan village without any reason and killed 12 persons, injured 15, burnt their houses and destroyed a 4-century old shrine, besides kidnapping 10 villagers.

They said that a two-member delegation comprising Haji Attaullah and Haji Khan Jan held meeting with Mangal Bagh to resolve the differences as both the parties were living close to each other and could not afford enmity for long time.

But the talks ended without any headway as Mangal Bagh was insisting on tendering simple apology for his attack on the village, they added.

Nasir Khan, a local councillor and also member of the 60-member jirga of both the tribes, told Dawn that the jirga was not satisfied with the simple apology of Mangal Bagh over the killing of innocent people.

The jirga members, he said, wanted to highlight the issue through the press and force the government to take legal action against the militants.

A resident of the area said that members of Khalil and Mohmand tribes were still feeling insecure as armed men of Lashkar-i-Islam were roaming in the areas. Even if the issue was resolved the militants would not avoid brandishing weapons in the area which was a permanent threat to the people, he added.

It was learnt that another meeting of the jirga would be held shortly to decide future line of action.