Jirga calls for immediate, dignified return of displaced Tirah residents

• Leaders demand restoration of law and order.
• Provincial govt urged to fulfil pending commitments.
• Protest decision in Peshawar expected next week.

BARA: Speakers at a jirga convened by the Bara Siyasi Ittehad on Saturday called on the government to ensure the immediate and dignified return of people displaced from Tirah Valley in Khyber tribal district, The News reported.

Participants discussed the overall situation in Tirah Valley and Bara in detail.

The jirga was attended by Bara Siyasi Ittehad President Hashim Khan Afridi, General Secretary Malik Attaullah Afridi, Awami National Party leaders Shireen Afridi and Sadique Chiragh, Fata Qaumi Jirga Chairman Malik Bismillah Afridi, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Shah Faisal Afridi and Khan Wali Afridi, PPP Khyber President Sher Shah Afridi, PML-N leaders Zahir Shah and Asghar Khan Afridi, and other elders.

The speakers said that the displaced persons from Tirah had been facing homelessness, insecurity, and severe hardships for years, despite their cooperation with state institutions and their patience and sacrifices. "Even today, they continue to be deprived of their basic human, constitutional, and tribal rights," said one of the leaders, Khan Wali Afridi.

He called for the restoration of law and order in the area, the dignified return of displaced persons, and the immediate implementation of commitments made by the provincial government.

Other speakers at the gathering emphasised that serious and practical measures were essential to address the issues faced by the displaced persons and to ensure the provision of basic facilities.

According to a declaration issued at the conclusion of the jirga, the president of Bara Siyasi Ittehad stated that a final decision on a protest in Peshawar would be announced after a consultative meeting scheduled for next Saturday.

He thanked all participants for their active involvement in the jirga and stressed the need to maintain unity and cohesion.