Janikhel tribes end weeks-long protest after successful negotiations

• Janikhel tribesmen bury slain elder Malik Naseeb Khan. 
• District administration assures tribesmen earlier agreement will be implemented in letter and spirit. 
• Janikhel tribesmen call for an end to the lawlessness in the area, demand lasting peace. 
• Tribal elders say they are tired of burying their loved ones. 

PESHAWAR: Protesting Janikhel tribes ended their month-long sit-in protest in Bannu after negotiations with the district administration proved successful Sunday.

The tribes wrapped up the protest and buried their slain leader, tribal elder Malik Naseeb Khan, who was killed almost a month earlier. Talks between the district administration and a committee of the protesters were held for the fourth consecutive day at the Maulana Khan Nawaz Jirga Hall at Azad Mandi on Sunday. 

Mohammad Khan, Deputy Commissioner Zubair Niazi, District Police Officer Imran Shahid, civil and military officials, and the 15-member committee of Janikhel protesters attended the jirga.

Earlier, the members of the committee of protesters and officials of district administration had held talks to sort out issues for three straight days. However, talks remained inconclusive.

To foster goodwill with the protestors, the district administration released four persons who had earlier been arrested for protesting and assured them that all demands would be met, as per their previous agreement. 

A seven-member committee of the Ahmadzai and Utmanzai tribes was constituted to liaison with government officials and apprise them of the losses suffered by the Janikhel tribes during the sit-in and a march towards Islamabad, recently. The committee members include Malik Umar Hayat, Malik Mir Samad, Malik Fida, Malik Gulbaz Khan, Gul Paozar, and Jehan Noor.

Read more: Jani Khel killings: Protesters call off sit-in after agreement with KP government

KP minister assures lasting peace

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transport Minister Malik Shah Mohammad Khan, speaking to the media, said the agreement reached between the two parties in March would be implemented in letter and spirit.

He said that the elders ended the protest sit-in after successful talks, which had been continuing for the last four days.

The minister said he would ensure lasting peace in the area remained, and that issues being faced by all the people are resolved.

Background 

The Janikhel tribesmen had refused to bury their tribal elder, Malik Naseeb Khan, and had been staging a sit-in protest for almost a month, demanding their arrested persons be released and for the agreement between the government and the tribesmen to be implemented. 

They also demanded recovery of all missing persons, restoration of lasting peace in the area, compensation for affected families, and others.

Naseeb Khan had been shot dead on May 30 and ever since then, the tribesmen had been protesting for their demands. The tribesmen had been protesting against the lawlessness in their area and were seeking reassurances from authorities that such incidents would not take place again. 

Elders who protested said they said they were tired of burying their loved ones and wanted an end to the targeted killings.

The Janikhel tribesmen cited the case of four young persons who had gone missing. Their bodies had later been found, charred. 

They demanded a thorough investigation into the crime and for the culprits to be severely punished.

Janikhel tribesmen protest against killing of four youths

In March, the Janikhel tribes had staged a sit-in protest at Bannu for a week after four youths had mysteriously gone missing. Their bodies were later found and provoked outrage among the tribes. 

The week-long sit-in protest had ended after assurances from the provincial government. KP ministers had said the government would hold a transparent inquiry into the incident and punish the culprits. 

It was decided that a Shuhada (martyrs) compensation package would be given to families of the four deceased, while the government will introduce a special development plan for the under-developed Janikhel area.

It was also agreed that 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 license and their houses will not be demolished.

The provincial government had promised that within three months the government will carry out a review of the already arrested individuals of the 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.