LAKKI MARWAT: Marwat Qaumi Jirga has asked Taliban militants to release contract workers of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission within three days otherwise tribesmen would launch action against them.

The jirga met at Kabir Park in Lakki Marwat city on Thursday to discuss law and order situation and growing lawlessness in the district.

Former federal minister Anwar Saifullah Khan, former MNA Naseer Mohammad Khan Maidadkhel, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat, former federal secretary Akhtar Munir Marwat, MPAs Johar Mohammad Khan and Tariq Saeed Khan, former district nazim Ishfaq Meenakhel, Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Naseer Turab, Maulana Masoodur Rehman, Shafiullah Khan Begukhel, Maulana Samiullah Mujahid and other leaders spoke on the occasion.

Nasir Kamar Marwat, Engineer Haji Amir Nawaz Khan, Lakki tehsil council chairman Shafqatullah Khan, Naurang tehsil council chairman Azizullah Khan, Ghaznikhel tehsil council chairman Zeeshan Mohammad Khan and Betanni tehsil council chairman Maulana Anwar Badshah also attended.

Elders threaten to take action against Taliban according to Pakhtun traditions

Elders showed concerns over poor law and order situation and surge in terrorist attacks in the district. They said that they gathered to devise a strategy regarding law and order, release of hostages and role of police and law enforcement agencies in maintenance of peace in the region.

Anwar Saifullah asked federal and provincial governments to take prompt and concrete steps to secure safe recovery of hostages. He said that the elders held meetings many times in the recent past and it was time to take practical steps.

Ishfaq Meenaklhel said that the lawmakers should take up the law and order and workers’ kidnapping issues with the provincial and federal governments.

“Taliban militants have not come here from other areas but they belong to this district and they should abandon the wrong path of violence,” Naseer Mohammad

He also announced a joint declaration of the jirga and said that the kidnapped workers were in the custody of Taliban, who also belonged to the district.

“We have set a three-day deadline to Taliban militants to hand over all hostages to Marwat tribe safely,” he said, warning that in case of failure, tribesmen would be at liberty as per Pakhtun traditions to launch action against them.

He also asked security forces to release all innocent Marwat tribesmen within three days. He also demanded Shuhada Package for those civilians, who lost their lives in the current wave of terrorism.

Naseer also asked people to constitute committees at village level to curb militancy, criminal activities and drug trafficking and coordinate with elders of Marwat Qaumi Jirga.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2025