TIMERGARA, July 31: Members of a peace jirga of Adenzai tehsil on Thursday announced that they would not allow anyone to disturb peaceful atmosphere of the region.

To discuss the prevailing lawlessness and make an applicable joint strategy for countering terrorism in Adenzai tehsil, a meeting of the peace jirga was held at Fishing Hut Chakdara which was presided over by District Police Officer Syed Fida Hassan.

The jirga members vowed to maintain law and order with the help of local people, asking the government not to deploy security forces in the area as according to them the presence of troops might spread panic and harassment among the residents.

The jirga, attended by leaders of different political parties, nazims, councillors, elders and social figures from all the union councils of the Adenzai, declared that local people would tackle the issue of law and order situation by themselves as the law enforcement agencies had failed to maintain peace.

Prominent among the participants were JUI-F provincial chief Senator Gul Naseeb Khan, PPP Sherpao senior leader Bakht Baidar Khan, JI leader Sultanat Yar, Hidayat Khan, PPPP’s Khurshid Ahmad and Humayun, ANP’s Hussain Shah Yusafzai and ulema Maulana Bashir Ahmad, Maulana Gul Rahim, Mulana Ghulamullah Haqqani.

The meeting continued for more than three hours and participants discussed the law and order situation in details. They alleged that arrival of army had demoralised the police force and now police force was not capable to maintain peace in the region.

The jirga, sources said, decided that local people would not let miscreants and criminals to play with the lives of the people in their respective union councils. A jirga member termed the ongoing ‘war on terror’ as a US planned drama and said it was aimed at pitting Pakistan Army against its own people. “Military operation cannot restore peace anywhere in the province so we demand of the government to withdraw troops from Swat, Dir and Bajaur,” they said.

The jirga, sources said, also imposed strict ban on firing in the air in all villages of Adenzai and asked the police to register cases against those involved in spreading harassment and rumours in the area. A representative peace committee was also constituted comprising two senior leaders from each political party, ulema and notable of the area. The committee would consult the police force on different occasions while the latter would also take it into confidence before taking any action in the area.

It merits a mention here that the district administration and police high-ups have started mobilising public to prepare a joint strategy to curb militancy in Dir Lower which has been peaceful so far, however it is feared that after Swat and Bajaur a wave of militancy could spilled over into Dir and destroy peaceful environment there.