Elders demands recovery of kidnapped teacher

BANNU: The elders here on Wednesday announced to stage a protest rally on May 12 if the abducted government was not safely recovered.

The teacher, Farman Ali Shah, was reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint near Nurar on April 23 while on his way to work in the jurisdiction of Meryan Police Station.Unidentified persons forced him off his motorcycle and took him to an undisclosed location in a vehicle.

In response to the incident, a grand tribal jirga was held under the leadership of Dr Pir Sahib Zaman, and a sit-in protest by Nurar tribes has now entered its 15th consecutive day. Prominent figures who addressed the protest included Jamaat-e-Islami leader Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, former provincial minister Syed Hamid Shah, Bannu City Mayor Irfan Durani and others.

Speaking on the occasion, the elders said that the rights and security of the people of Bannu were non-negotiable. They declared that the entire community stands united behind the family of the abducted teacher, and any decision taken by the tribe will have collective support.

“This is not just the issue of the Meryan tribe - it is a shared pain of the entire region,” said one elder. “The safe return of Farman Ali Shah is a collective responsibility,” he added. Tribal leaders praised the role of the jirga system, calling it a symbol of traditional wisdom and justice. While urging for unity and peaceful resolution, they warned that the patience of the people is running thin.