LANDI KOTAL: The Khyber Agency political administration has suspended all the official perks and privileges of Sipah tribe of Bara for its alleged involvement in a bomb attack on security forces on July 16
Official sources said that the traditional annual Darbar of distributing Muwajab (a token amount fixed by the British rulers for tribal elders in reward of their loyalty) among the Sipah elders scheduled for Thursday (today) at Khyber House was postponed till further orders.

The students of Sipah tribe have been exempted from the order of suspension of privileges and would be issued their domiciles to felicitate their admissions in educational institutions and appearance in examinations.

Officials said that Sipah people were strictly advised not to approach offices of the political administration for any matter and receipt of perks or privileges.

Two Frontier Corps personnel were critically injured in a blast while filling in their tanker in Malakdinkhel area on July 16. Security officials said that an improvised explosive device was fitted in the tanker.

Proscribed militant organisation Lashkar-i-Islam later claimed responsibility for the attack. Officials contended that chief of Lashkar-i-Islam Mangal Bagh belonged to Sipah so elders of the tribe were issued notices to help the administration in identifying and nabbing the attackers.

Sources said that a jirga of Sipah elders met Political Agent Khalid Mehmud on Wednesday to persuade the administration to relax the restrictions but they were told to either surrender the suspects to the administration or face action.

Meanwhile, security forces stationed in different parts of Bara and Jamrud tehsils have beefed security in anticipation of a possible reprisal from militant groups in retaliation to the launch of Khyber-VI operation in the bordering areas of Tirah valley, especially Rajgal heights.

COMPENSATION: The political administration on Wednesday distributed Rs94 million among the families, whose houses and properties were damaged when militants had control over Bara subdivision.

Additional Political Agent Nir Raza Uzgan distributed cheques at a ceremony held at Shah Kas Levies Centre among 575 affected families of Malakdinkhel, Qambalkhel, Kamarkhel and Zakhakhel tribes residing in different parts of Tirah valley and Bara plains.

Officials said that 410 houses out of the total 575 were found completely damaged during the damage assessment survey while the rest were partially damaged. Fata Secretariat had fixed an amount of Rs400,000 as compensation for fully damaged house and Rs160,000 for partially damaged property. The political administration has so far distributed about Rs1.69 billion among 5,218 affected families of Bara and Tirah valley.

CAMPAIGN: The administration issued notices on Wednesday to the owners of all illegal taxi stands, small shops and kiosks at Jamrud Bazaar to remove the illegal structures within three days.

The administration also imposed ban on pillion riding in the entire Jamrud tehsil for an indefinite period. Local residents, however, ridiculed both the anti-encroachment drive and ban on motorcycle riding, saying similar actions were taken by the administration a number of times with little or no results. They also accused the political administration for unlawful award of taxi stands to blue-eyed tribal elders.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2017