Jirga sets deadline for armed groups to leave Karak

KARAK: A peace jirga here on Sunday set a three-day deadline for armed groups to leave the district or the Khattak tribe would trace and expel them from the district by force.

The announcement was made by the jirga at Takht-e-Nusrati Sports Ground. Different political parties and a local rights organization attended the jirga.

The speakers included Minister for Agriculture Muhammad Sajjad, Member National Assembly Shahid Khattak, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F Malik Amad Azam, Pakistan Peoples Party, Awami National Party district presidents Khursheed Khattak and Shahnawaz Khattak, former provincial minister Malik Qasim Khan Khattak and Khattak Ittehad, a local rights organization, district president of own faction Noor Daraz Khattak.

The speakers condemned the terrorist attack on the Bahaderkhel police check-post a few days ago. They expressed concern over the presence of armed groups in the district. Through a resolution, they asked the terrorists to leave the district within three days otherwise the Khattak tribe would expel them out of the district by force.

The speakers declared that the presence of non-local people, who were involved in terrorist activities, would not be tolerated in the district. They announced a social boycott of those who were allegedly facilitating the terrorists.

The jirga members formed a committee to activate the social activists across the district and decided to hold a big peace march in Karak city next Sunday. They sought resources and power for the Counter-Terrorism Department to cope with terrorism in the province. The speakers demanded the government to shun the policy of good and bad Taliban, calling for ensuring the implementation of National Action Plan in letter and spirit.