BAJAUR: The police on Saturday brokered a temporary ceasefire between two tribes involved in a dispute over the ownership of a mountain in the Banda area of Salarzai tehsil here.

According to a statement, district police officer Mohammad Khalid Khan took notice of the escalating tensions after members of two rival tribes had established defensive positions on the mountain and appeared poised for an armed confrontation.

“The DPO directed officials in the Utmankhel subdivision to intervene immediately and prevent the situation from deteriorating further,” the statement said.

Acting on the directive, a team from Salarzai police station led by DSP Jamal Shah reached the area and initiated negotiations with the leaders of the rival tribes.

“The police team intervened at a critical stage when both sides were on the verge of escalating the dispute,” the statement said.

It added that members of both tribes had taken up positions armed with automatic weapons and were initially unwilling to agree to a ceasefire.

However, they eventually accepted a temporary truce after police officials warned them of strict legal action. The statement said police informed the elders from both tribes about the serious consequences of armed hostilities, including possible loss of life and property, and warned them that action would be taken against anyone found taking the law into their own hands and disturbing public order.

Following separate meetings with the elders, police succeeded in persuading both sides to suspend hostilities and immediately dismantle the positions they had established on the mountain.

The statement said the elders from the two tribes also agreed to resolve the dispute through dialogue and to abide by the ceasefire agreement.

DPO Khalid Khan termed the ceasefire a significant achievement for both the police and residents.

“The timely intervention by police helped avert a potentially destructive confrontation that could have resulted in loss of life and property. It also encouraged both sides to pursue a peaceful settlement of their dispute,” the statement quoted the DPO as saying.

The statement added that no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands and that all disputes would be resolved through legal channels and mutual negotiations.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2026