A jirga (tribal assembly) was convened at Bara Bazaar in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber district on Saturday under the auspices of the Khyber National Jirga.
Leaders from various political parties and tribal elders attended the jirga, which called for immediate relief and rehabilitation for tens of thousands of families displaced from the picturesque Tirah Valley of Khyber. The evacuation took place during the harsh winter amid reports of a counterterrorism operation, which both the federal and provincial governments have denied.
There was representation from the JUI-F, ANP, PTI, PML-N, PPP and JI, which participated in the conference alongside tribal elders.
Tribal leader Malik Mujeeb Khan said the relocation from Tirah Valley was carried out after negotiations with the chief minister, Corps Commander Peshawar and IG FC. Shah Faisal, District President of Jamaat-e-Islami, also stated that the citizens of Tirah were forcibly displaced.
“Tirah Valley was vacated on the orders of provincial, central government and military leadership,” he stated, adding that stakeholders cleared the area to rid it of terrorism.
Meanwhile, Syed Kabeer, General Secretary of JUI-F, said the chief minister is the province’s chief executive and the Tirah relocation and operation are carried out with his permission. “Chief Minister Sohail Afridi must fulfill his responsibility for the relocation and peacekeeping in Tirah,” he added.
“Thousands of families who have been relocated are living in dire conditions,” Kabeer stated.
PTI leader Abid Khan Afridi also maintained that, “the chief minister is the province’s chief executive, but he has been rendered powerless.” He emphasised, “this is a time for unity, not division.”
PML-N District President Asghar Khan also laid responsibility on both the provincial and federal governments for the difficulties faced by the victims. “The provincial government should acknowledge its mistakes in the decision for relocation and possible operation,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Information Ataullah Tarar termed the Khyber National Jirga a “charge sheet” against the K-P government, alleging poor governance and calling on the provincial authorities to apologise for what he described as the construction of a false narrative.
Speaking to a private television channel, Tarar said the jirga had not only demanded the restoration of peace but had also levelled serious allegations against the KP government. He said the jirga had concluded that the provincial authorities were guilty of mismanagement and corruption and had failed to deliver for the people.
“This is a major charge sheet against the K-P provincial government – the Rs4 billion that were allocated for people’s relief, displacement, registration and assistance have no accountability,” he said.
Criticising the provincial government as well as Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf ministers and senior leadership, Tarar said their representatives frequently appeared on television, engaging in what he termed verbal attacks and theatrics, but were absent on the ground in the Tirah valley.
“After all, Tirah is within K-P. It is a provincial subject and falls under provincial administration. Their performance is zero. The Rs4 billion allocated for the people – the nation will demand an account of every single penny and ask where that money went,” he said.
Demanding an apology from the K-P government, Tarar said the manner in which the situation in Tirah was exploited and the narrative constructed around it warranted an apology to the entire nation.