July 15, 2008	Tuesday	Rajab 11, 1429

PARACHINAR, July 14: Elders of six major tribes in Lower Kurram have constituted a 35-member committee to restore peace in the restive area where people have been facing an acute shortage of food items due to road blockade and lawlessness.

Maliks and elders of Paracham-kani, Jaji, Mangal, Muqbal, Zeimusht and Ali Sherzai tribes met in Sadda, tehsil headquarters of Lower Kurram, on Monday and decided to take practical steps for restoration of peace in the area.

The jirga members expressed concern over the kidnapping of government employees and attacks on tribesmen. They said some vested interests had created law and order situation in the area due to which the Thall-Parachinar road had been closed for 10 months.

They expressed concern over the shortage of food items, medicines and fuel in the region.

The elders pointed out that people in pockets of Upper and Lower Kurram, including Bushera, Landiwan and Tari Mnagal, had been facing acute food shortage and called upon the government to ensure supply of essential commodities to the besieged areas. The jirga members feared worst kind of humanitarian crisis in the region if the government did not open the main road immediately.

Meanwhile, elders of Turi and Bangash tribes called on political agent Mohammad Azam Khan in Parachinar on Monday and demanded that the administration should help ensure ceasefire between residents of Piwar and Tari Mangal areas in Upper Kurram.

The head of the local peace committee, Ali Akbar, said they had urged the political agent to reopen the main road for traffic and stop the fighting in the troubled area.

Meanwhile, some miscreants kidnapped a local tribesman, Zulfiqar, in the Began town in Lower Kurram on Sunday evening.