KOHAT: A jirga was held to persuade the heirs of three victims, who were killed during riots in Muharram last year here, for settlement of the case with the four accused, who are presently in Dera Ismail Khan jail.

The jirga, held at the residence of former MNA Javed Ibrahim Paracha, was led from the side of the accused by former provincial minister Qalbe Hassan. The victims included police constable Noor Mohammad, pedestrian Khairur Rehman, a resident of Kurram Agency, and Arshad of Jhandi Pathak.

On the persuasion of jirga, the heirs of the policeman and pedestrian agreed to take compensation money and drop the murder charges against the four accused. However, relatives of the third victim, who was the activist of banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), said they wanted the law to take its course.

Currently, four members of Said Habib Imambargah are in DI Khan central prison since November last year. They include the imambargah’s caretaker Muharram Ali Shah, Ghazanfar Hussain, Abid Ali Shah and Haider Ali Shah.

Meanwhile, the family of the caretaker of Qaumi Imambargah Sher Mohammad Tori, who was killed on Feb 21 in Kohat, has withdrawn the case registered against three SSP members.

The relatives withdrew the case against Obaidullah Haideri, Shakeel and an unknown person after it emerged during investigations that Mr Tori was killed by his nephew for refusing to give him the hand of his daughter.

The police have registered a new FIR against the nephew of Mr Tori.