ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Kha­qan Abbasi on Tuesday assured Mehsud tribe’s jirga that a college will be established in Waziristan in the name of Naqeebullah Mehsud, a young man who was kill­ed allegedly in a fake encounter in Karachi on Jan 18.

The prime minister was taking to members of the jirga who called on him at the Prime Minister Office. Members of agitating Mehsud tribe have been staging a sit-in for the last five days in the federal capital against the killing of Naqeeb and what they called “deprivation” of tribal people in seven tribal agencies in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

According to an official handout, the prime minister said the federal government would build a collage in the name of Naqeeb in Waziristan and that all out efforts would be made for the arrest of his killers.

The jirga demanded immediate arrest of suspended Senior Superintendent of Police, Malir, Rao Anwar, and other responsible for extra-judicial killing of Naqeeb so that they could be punished accordingly.

The delegation of Mehsud tribe also complained about landmines laid by security forces in the tribal areas that have claimed several lives.

Mr Abbasi assured the delegation that the government will give compensation to the victims of landmines-related incidents and the process of demining will be expedited.

Later, the jirga expressed gratitude to the prime minister for listening their complaints and giving assurance to redress them. The jirga also lauded the efforts of PML-N leader Amir Muqam for arranging their meeting with the prime minister.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2018