PESHAWAR, Sept 21: A jirga has decided to boycott the upcoming local bodies elections in the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), threatening to launch a disobedience movement in the region.

The jirga, attended by some 100 Maliks and tribal elders, unanimously decided that if any tribesman filed nomination papers for the local bodies elections, scheduled to be held on Oct 27, he would be fined Rs10 million and his house would be demolished.

According to the decision, if any person casts vote in the elections, he will be fined five million rupees and his house will be demolished.

The tribal chiefs from Khyber, North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Bajaur and Mohmand agencies asked the government to take tribesmen into confidence before holding the local bodies elections in the area.

The jirga set a one-week deadline and demanded of NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah to hold negotiations with the tribal elders to discuss the proposed reforms package, including the schedule for the local bodies elections.

The Maliks would certainly boycott the government activities and absolve themselves of all responsibilities, jirga chief Malik Mian Shahjehan said, while speaking at a press conference at the press club here on Saturday.

He warned the government of serious repercussions if it tried to impose its unilateral decisions upon the tribesmen.

“The jirga rejects the drawing room package,” he said, adding that a few so-called intellectuals and a group of policy makers had misguided the government to bring changes in the administrative and justice system of Fata. No system would work unless the government took the tribal elders into confidence, he asserted.

Malik Shahjehan was of the view that the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) was still very effective in the maintenance of law and order in the area. He said any law which was repugnant to their customs and traditions would be opposed and would also brought into the notice of international human rights’ organizations.

He said committees had been constituted in seven tribal agencies to mobilize the people against the proposed reforms’ package.