Janikhel tribesmen end sit-in as KP govt accepts demands

BANNU: The Janikhel tribesmen on Monday ended their week-long protest sit-in against the killing of four youths after the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government accepted their demands and signed an agreement to this effect. The protesters announced to end the sit-in after Chief of Janikhel tribe Malik Adnan Wazir, who is a former lawmaker, read out the agreement before them.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan presided over the signing proceedings at the commissioner's office in Bannu. The agreement was counter-signed by the elders of the Joint Qaumi Jirga of Afridi, Orakzai, Marwat and Janikhel tribes.

Following the agreement, the Janikhel tribesmen took the bodies of the four teenagers from Bannu to their native Janikhel area and buried them in their ancestral graveyards in the presence of thousands of people.

Provincial ministers Kamran Bangash, Shah Muhammad Khan, Ziaullah Bangash and others told a media briefing that the Janikhel incident was a tragedy and some elements were busy trying exploit the situation by sabotaging negotiations between the government and the Janikhel tribesmen.

However, they said that the elders foiled their bid to fulfil their nefarious designs. They said that compensation cheques worth Rs2.5 million had been given to the four bereaved families.

According to the accord, they said the government would hold a transparent inquiry into the incident and punish the culprits. A Shuhada (martyrs) compensation package will be given to the families of the four deceased while the government will introduce a special development plan for the under-developed Janikhel area.

The government would ensure peace in Janikhel by purging the area of armed groups, while the locals would be allowed possession of weapons with a licence and their houses will not be demolished.

They said within three months the government will carry out a review of the already apprehended individuals of Janikhel tribe and those found innocent will be released immediately. The cases of those found guilty, however, will be dealt with as per the state law, the ministers added.

The protestors had earlier reached Bannu city overcoming obstacles, including placement of shipping containers on a bridge, put up by the authorities. They wanted to take their protest to the federal capital, Islamabad, but negotiations led to peaceful resolution of the issue. The protest had started on March 21 after the bullet-riddled bodies of the four boys aged from 13 to 17 years were recovered from a field some three weeks after they disappeared while hunting birds in the area.

The incident caused deep anguish in the area and the families and Janikhel tribe refused to bury the dead even though a delegation of Ulema advised them that delaying burials was against the teachings of Islam. The killers haven’t been identified yet though the police have started an investigation into the murders.