NORTH WAZIRISTAN: The Uthmanzai tribemen on Friday put off their sit-in protest against ‘lawlessness’ here after successful talks with a 16-strong political committee formed by the prime minister.

Headed by opposition leader in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Akram Khan Durrani, the panel comprised Awami National Party central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Qaumi Watan Party leader Sikandar Sherpao, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Ikhtiar Wali, JUI-F leader Maulana Attaul Haq Qasmi, and representatives of other political parties.

Members of the committee visited Eidek village near Mirali, where elders of the Uthmanzai tribe had organised a sit-in protest against targeted killings and deteriorating law and order situation in the tribal district. They held talks with tribal elders at the Madressah Nizamia.

The Uthmanzai elders accepted the request of the committee and postponed their protest for two weeks. The protesters will remove road blockades across the district, while the residents will celebrate Independence Day with national zeal.

Earlier, the Uthmanzai tribe had announced it would observe a black day on Aug 14.

Mr Durrani told reporters that the committee would take up demands of the Uthmanzai tribe with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and would make efforts to resolve all their issues within 15 days.

He said the people of Waziristan were very patriotic.

The opposition leader voiced concern about targeted killings in the district and said the federal government would take all steps to ensure peace.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2022