ISLAMABAD, March 21: A jirga of the North Waziristan Agency on Tuesday demanded that the government initiate a process of dialogue and immediately withdraw troops from the tribal areas to restore permanent peace. The jirga comprising over a dozen tribal leaders raised their demands in a meeting with Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao at the interior ministry.

The tribal leaders rejected the government’s claim about the presence of foreigners in the tribal areas saying that innocent people from their tribes were being killed on the pretext of operations against ‘miscreants’ and foreigners.

They urged the government to hold dialogue with tribal elders instead of going on with the military operations in the North and South Waziristan agencies.

Talking to reporters, the minister said a focused military operation was being carried out in Waziristan therefore people who had left their homes should return. “We will provide protection to them,” he added.

Mr Sherpao said the government had initiated the process of discussion with tribal elders and Tuesday’s meeting was part of the initiative.

However, he said the government could not accept every demand of the tribal people. “Those involved in creating law and order situation will be dealt with accordingly,” he said.

On the other hand, some of the jirga leaders told reporters that there was no foreign national in the tribal areas and the attacks on security forces were carried out by Afghan nationals who often used to cross the border. “Afghans come and after attacking security forces return to their side,” they said.