MANSEHRA: A grand jirga having representation of Harban tribe of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Thor tribe of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) has agreed to a permanent ceasefire on the disputed land, while the Harban elders also pardoned the blood of their three people killed in 2014.

The jirga was held in Harban area of Kohistan near the disputed land where the Frontier Constabulary was deputed after the 2014 brawl.

Harban tribe was led by their elder Assadullah Qurashi and Thor by Dilbar Jan. The two sides agreed on observing permanent ceasefire henceforth and pardoning payment of blood money of three people of Harban killed in the exchange of fire while Dilbar Jan also forgave blood of his son who died in the same conflict.

Qazi Nisar of Gilgti praising the gesture of goodwill said that the decades-old enmity had now ended.

They authorised earmarking land to each other with a pledge to accept the decision.

Jirga decided to visit the disputed land on Wednesday for finalisation of the decision.

Deputy Commissioner of Kohistan Fazl-i-Khaliq when contacted appreciating the decision said that the process of reconciliation had begun which would settle down more issues.

“Once the jirga finalises its decree we will set up a joint committee of 10 members from both sides,” Mr Khaliq said adding that now mega projects such as the Diamer-Bhasha dam would be executed in a friendly environment.

In the past both Harban and Thor tribes of Kohistan and Chelas had been claiming the ownership of 8km long disputed land at the KP and GB boundary.

The one-man commission report on the dispute is yet to be made public according to officials.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2016