Tuesday, October 7, 2008, Shawwal 7, 1429    

Crackdown against Afghan refugees in Bajaur

Tariq Saeed

Peshawar—The local tribals have on Monday kicked off a vigorous campaign to flush out the Afghan refugees from the militancy hit-Bajaur Agency which has been subjected to continuous bombardment by the official forces for the last more than a month.

In the back-drop of continuous unrest in the region, the government it may be recalled had issued three days deadline to the Afghan refugees to leave the area. As the deadline expired on Sunday, the refugees showed no signs of compliance.

Reports reaching here said the Tribal Lashkar on Monday launched crackdown after the deadline for all Afghan refugees to leave Bajaur Agency expired.

According to sources, Mohmand tribal Lashkar began crackdown to flush out Afghan refugees from Bajaur Agency, while several Afghan refugees were arrested during checking at various check-posts.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Afghan refugees were reportedly returning to their homeland via Ghakhi Pass. Around 70 thousands Afghan refugees have been living in Bajaur Agency.

The local people said that law and order situation would improve in Bajaur Agency if Afghan refugees leave the area.

On the other hand, tribal elders of Salarzai tribe will also hold Jirga on Tuesday (today).

On the other hand a tribal Jirga of Khyber Agency’s Shinwari tribesmen Monday formed a Quami (national) Lashkar against militants in the area, which would launch its operation against militants from Tuesday. According to political administration officials, the Lashkar comprising 300 volunteers’ tribesmen would start action against militants to flush them out of the Khyber Agency. It was decided in a tribal Jirga of Shinwaris, which was attended by elders of the tribe. “Jirga formed an armed national Lashkar to flush militants out of the Khyber Agency,” the official added.

As many as 30 notable elders representatives of different tribes participated in the Jirga, which made it compulsory for all of them to include 10 volunteers in the national Lashkar in order to accomplish the task comprehensively.

The political administration of the Khyber Agency, while talking to Pakistan observer sounded optimistic about the outcome of the operation by the Lashker against the militants saying it would go long way in purging the trouble makers from the area and ensuring long lasting peace in the region.