Janikhel sit-in: Deadlock still persists as admin, committee continue talks to end protest

BANNU: The talks between the committee of Janikhel protesters and district administration for ending the sit-in remained inconclusive for the third consecutive day on Saturday.

Sources said that another session will be held at Azad Mandi to sort out issues today. Provincial Minister for Transport Malik Shah Mohammad Khan, Deputy Commissioner Zubair Niazi, District Police Officer Imran Shahid and other civil and military officials and a 15-member committee of Janikhel protesters held talks for the third straight day but it yielded no results.

The government side, while announcing to accept all the demands of Janikhel protesters, asked them to bury the body of Malik Naseeb Khan, end the sit-in and give a week's time to implement the agreement.

However, the protesters refused to end the sit-in and bury the body of the slain elder, saying that they wanted practical action for implementation of the agreement, including release of arrested residents, recovery of all missing persons, restoration of lasting peace to the area, compensation to the affected families and others.

It may be mentioned that three persons were killed and scores others injured in clashes Wednesday last when police tried to stop the Janikhel tribe protesters from marching towards Islamabad.

The people in Janikhel had been protesting for the last 29 days by putting the body of tribal elder Malik Naseeb, who was targeted and killed in the recent past.

They have refused to bury the slain elder and have been protesting against lawlessness in the area and want reassurance by the administration that such acts of violence would not happen again.

Dr Gul Alam Wazir and Malik Moiz Khan said that the agreement struck with them three months back should be implemented. They said they were sick of burying their loved ones targeted and killed.

The Janikhel tribesmen recalled that four youth had gone missing and later their charred bodies were found. They said a case should be registered and a thorough probe launched into the gory incident.