LAKKI MARWAT, Feb 20: Elders of the Marwat tribe have authorised the Marwat Qaumi Jirga to initiate reconciliatory efforts for ending enmity with the Mastikhel clan of Bhetanni tribe in the Frontier Region of the district.

A meeting of the jirga in the town hall on Monday was attended by Salim Saifullah Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League, Anwar Kamal Khan Marwat of the PML (Nawaz), former MNA Mohammad Kabir Khan Marwat, District Nazim Humayun Saifullah Khan, Naib Nazim Qudratullah Khan, Lakki Marwat Tehsil Nazim Fareedullah Khan Meenakhel, Serai Naurang Nazim Anwar Hayat Khan, Raees of Eesakkhel Mohammad Aslam Khan and elders from all the clans of Marwat tribe.

MPA Anwar Kamal said people of the tribe could not grant amnesty to the kidnapper of Bhetanni tribe, Arsala Khan, as he had committed a heinous crime by kidnapping 12 Marwats, including two women.

He said the kidnaper would be taken to task soon.

District Nazim Humayun Saifullah and former MNA Kabir Khan favoured reconciliation. “We rendered sacrifices, besides providing financial resources for use of force against the kidnappers of Bhetanni tribe,” they said, maintaining that the enmity must end.

Hundreds of elders authorised the jirga to form a committee and take steps to resolve the enmity.

Arsala Khan and his group kidnapped 12 people of the Marwat tribe in 2003.

Two Mastikhel tribesmen were allegedly killed by Tajori police when they made an attempt on the life of MPA Anwar Kamal more than a year ago.

The incident lead to tension between the tribes, which resulted in the killing of two security personnel of the Marwat tribe in 2005.