HANGU, Jan 24: Three people, including two officials of tribal administration, were injured after a protest against installation of power meters in Ghiljo tehsil of Orakzai Agency turned violent here on Thursday.

Sources said Wapda staff were installing electric meters at the Ghiljo bazaar. Traders, however, opposed the Wapda action and closed all shops in protest. They also gathered on the main road and blocked it for traffic.

At that time, a local jirga comprising elders of Akhel, Rabiakhel, Ali Sherzai and Alikhel tribes was in session at the Ghiljo tehsil headquarters. After the Jirga broke up, its members joined the protesting traders. The protesters did not allow vehicular traffic on the road for two hours and also damaged the newly-installed power meters.

When Political Tehsildar Mirza Ali Khan reached the spot along with levy personnel to persuade the tribesmen to open the road, they pelted his car with stones. As a result, a clash between the security men and protesters took place, resulting in injuries to two officials, one of whom was identified as Moharrar Qismat Ali. The injured tribesman was identified as Khaliq. The windscreen of the official car was also broken.

Later, the tribesmen convened another Jirga which decided that installation of power meters in their areas would not be allowed. It also decided that traders would observe a complete shutdown if the administration took any action against the protesters.

The Jirga also formed a 15-member committee to ensure that no trader or tribesman violated the decision. It was also decided that any tribesman found violating the decision would be fined Rs100,000 and his house would also be razed.

The Jirga participants said the tribesmen would not allow installation of power meters unless a joint Jirga of the Orakzai Agency tribes was convened to decide the issue.