LANDI KOTAL: Twenty families on Tuesday migrated to safe places in Peshawar from Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency due to precarious situation in most parts of the tribal region.

Local sources in Ghundi told Dawn that around 20 families from Qazi Khel, Mastan Khel and Mandu Khel sub-tribes of Kukikhel tribe left their homes on Tuesday morning and shifted to different localities of Peshawar.

The sources said that the families took the decision of leaving their houses when a stray mortar shell fell on the house of a retired khasadar at midnight which resulted in injuries to a minor girl and partial damage to the house.

Also, militants fired at least three rockets at a security force convoy in Ghundi area during the same night, but no one was injured. Security forces also fired back in self-defence and the firing continue for sometime, causing fear and panic among the local residents.

Security forces later defused a high intensity explosive device in the same locality.

Meanwhile, the Kukikhel tribal elders have convened a jirga today (Wednesday) to review imposition of curfew in certain localities and search operation of security forces.

Talking to Dawn, MNA Haji Shahji Gul said the jirga would devise future course of action along with formation of a Kukikhel Qaumi Sareshtha, which would work to safeguard the honour and respect of the tribe rather than taking up arms against militants.

He said that though his tribe was in favour of a military operation against militants in Jamrud tehsil, it would neither raise a tribal lashkar nor would it extend any help to the security forces as restoring peace was the prime responsibility of the government.

He said the political administration and security forces had decided to establish some additional checkposts in the troubled localities in order to check movement of militants and other anti-social elements.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2014