KHYBER: Malakhel and Alikhel tribes of Orakzai district expelled more than 40 families of Zakhakhel, Shalobar and Akkakhel tribes from Ghaljo tehsil after two incidents of terrorism during the last two months.

Sources in Warsak and Peer Mela localities in Tirah valley told Dawn that Alikhel and Malakhel elders suspected involvement of Zakhakhel tribesmen in an attack on a polio team in October and a latest attack on security forces by the end of November.

They said that majority of the expelled families returned to either Peer Mela or Warsak, a few of them opted to shift to Mishti tehsil of Orakzai after local elders granted them permission to come to their area.

Sources said that displaced families had shifted to Orakzai in 2011 after the launch of a military operation in Tirah against outlawed militant groups. They said that those families were provided refuge in Ghaljo tehsil near Dabori, an Orakzai locality situated on the border of Tirah valley.

They had taken refuge there after launch of 2011 military operation

Qaseem Khan, a Zakhakhel tribesman whose family was also expelled from Orakzai, told Dawn that Malakhel and Alikhel tribesmen heartily welcomed displaced Zakhakhel families back in 2011 and provided them with shelter in their empty houses and also allowed them to cultivate their agricultural farms when they migrated to the region.

He said all the Zakhakhel, Shalobar and Akkakhel families lived with harmony and peace there and helped locals in repairing their damaged houses and cultivating their barren farmlands.

Sadiq Shah, another displaced person from Orakzai, said that they also established smalltime businesses in Ghaljo and enrolled their children in local schools while families from both sides mixed so well over the period of time that they gave their daughters in marriages to each other.

“The irony now is that some of our women are married to Orakzai families while some from their side are married to our families. It is very painful that these families are separated all of a sudden with no fault of theirs,” he stated.

Ashiq Jan, a Shalobar tribesman who was also expelled from Orakzai, said that he had to leave behind his standing crop as his family was not allowed to stay there till the crop was harvested.

He said that he along with many other farming families had to incur financial losses while some of them vacated their shops and kiosks they had established there.

“We are now faced with a new beginning and uncertain future with meagre financial resources as our houses in Tirah valley are completely destroyed while we left behind whatever we had earned over the years in Orakzai area,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2024