KOHAT, Nov 9: The district coordination officer, Kohat, on Friday called upon a jirga of Shia and Sunni sects to try to ensure peace and tranquility during Muharram.

He said peace was necessary during Muharram because the events during the month had a huge impact on the relationship between both the Shia and Sunni sects over the next year up to Orakzai and Kurram agencies of the Kohat division.

Chairing the jirga at his office, the DCO Zakir Hussain Syed said it was the collective responsibility of all to live in peace in the region and refrain from hurting the religious feelings of other groups.

The Sunni side was represented by former MNA and leader of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat Javed Ibrahim Paracha and the Shia side was led by Mazhar Hussain advocate.

The DCO informed them that a control room would be established in his office where people could give any information about the presence of suspicious people in their areas.

He advised the leaders from both the sects to hold meetings regularly and remove all differences before start of Muharram.

The Kohat and Hangu districts have been declared as most sensitive. The Hangu district has already been given under the control of army to maintain peace during Muharram. In both the districts section 144 would be applied strictly and no Afghan refugee would be allowed to enter the city until the first ten days of Muharram.

GAS SUPPLY: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Housing Amjid Khan Afridi announced on Friday supply of gas to Muhammadzai village.

Speaking at a ceremony on the occasion Amjid Afridi regretted that the Muhammadzai village would have been provided gas facility a decade ago but the minister from the constituency had ignored it.

He said the old land dispute between the people of Muhammadzai and Bezote tribe of adjacent Orakzai Agency would be resolved peacefully and he would personally summon a jirga by inviting all stakeholders and the administration. He said the dispute had claimed many precious lives but had not been resolved for 30 years by the local Seth family.