November 06, 2008	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 7, 1429

LANDI KOLTAL, Nov 5: Tribesmen from different walks of life reacted optimistically to the election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of United States of America.

Prominent tribal elder Malik Darya Khan Zakhakhel expressed the hope that keeping his electoral slogan of “change”, the newly elected US president would stop Bush administration policy of war against terror and initiate a dialogue with militant organisations active in tribal belt of Pakistan.

He said that tribesmen suffered a lot due to the on going military operation in tribal areas. He appealed to President-elect Barack Obama to help stop miseries of the Fata people.

Another tribal elder Malik Khan Mar Jan said that world community by and large had rejected George Bush policy of militarism and hoped that the newly elected Democrat president would reconsider this policy.

He suggested formation of tribal jirgas with active support of government in order to help bring peace in the troubled tribal region.

He said that people of the United States exhibited their great faith in democracy by electing a black president for the first time in their national history. The Tuesday election results showed the strength of their democratic institutions, he added.

A college student Hawa Shinwari expressed her hope that election of Barack Obama would help end the war against terror in tribal areas besides resolving the long standing Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India. She was optimistic about Obama commitment of bringing about a change.