KHAR: A local jirga succeeded to resolve an old dispute between two rival groups of Mamond tribe in Bajaur Agency on Monday.

The jirga was held at the political compound in Khar that was attended by elders of various sub-tribes of Mamond, members of peace committees and senior officials of the political administration.

The enmity between Malik Shah Wali Khan and Malik Bakhtawar Khan had claimed several lives during the last few years. The local administration formed a jirga comprising senior tribal elders and members of peace committees of Mamond tehisl to resolve the dispute.

The jirga held several meetings with both the groups and finally succeeded to resolve the dispute.

During the reconciliation ceremony, elders of both the groups forgave each other and took oath on the Holy Quran that they would live like brothers in future. “We promise that we will live like brothers and friends. We will maintain pleasant relationship with each other because clashes and enmities affect the future of our youngster generation,” said an elder on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, chief of Mamond tribe Malik Mohammad Ayaz Khan said that disputes and enmities only disturbed peace in the region but also affected socio-economic condition of the agency. He said that Mamond elders would continue their efforts to resolve old enmities and personal clashes in the region.

“We will continue our struggles to find durable solution to all kinds of personal conflicts in the region as clashes and conflicts put negative effects on the image of the area,” Ayaz Khan said.

Abdul Haseeb Khan, a senior official of the political administration, lauded the tribal elders for their efforts to resolve disputes in the area. He called upon them to speed up their efforts to keep the area free of personal conflicts.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2014