NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Elders of different tribes have asked the administration to give access to the local people to natural forests for harvesting pine nuts in North Waziristan tribal district and lift a ban on cross-border movement of the tribes living on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border.

Officails said that elders of Kabulkhel, Janikhel, Bakakhel, Madakhel, Haiderkhel, Zoi Saidgi and Dawager Saidgi held two jirgas with General Officer Commanding Maj-Gen Mohammad Naeem Akhter and Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan in Miramshah on Thursday and apprised them of their problems.

One of the demands was to allow local people to harvest pine nuts in the natural forests in Shawal, Haiderkhel, Madakhel and Zoi Saidgi forests near the Afghan border.

They said pine nuts were the only source of income for local people and the administration should withdraw the ban. The authorities had banned entry of tribal people into the pine forests after militancy in the area.

Another demand was the relaxation of the border at Ghulam Khan checkpost to facilitate the people’s movement.

Maj-Gen Naeem Akhtar assured the elders that the government would ensure safe return of the people of North Waziristan from Afghanistan.

He said that 8,000 families had been repatriated so far and that the remaining families would be brought back very soon.

Regarding access to forests, he said pine nuts were ready for harvesting and the government would be allowed to harvest the crop. He said labourers would also be allowed to stay in the forests to harvest pine nuts.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2022