Wana tribal elders refute Taliban presence rumours
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WANA/ISLAMABAD: The tribal elders and ulema of Ahmedzai tribe, while denouncing the rumours pertaining to the Taliban’s return to South Waziristan’s headquarters Wana under the guise of ‘peace committee’, termed it an act of sabotage to disrupt the hard-won peace in the region.
During the hurriedly-called press conference in Wana, they said that conspirators are hell-bent on disrupting the unprecedented peace in the area; however, they would not be allowed to succeed in their nefarious designs come what may.
Prominent religious scholar Maulana Taj Muhammad, Maulana Sultan Wazir, Malik Rehmatullah Wazir and Malik Kher Muhammad and Maulana Mirza Jan among others were present on the occasion.
They said that “exemplary peace” has been restored in Wana thanks to matchless sacrifices; hence such sabotaging bid wouldn’t succeed in upsetting the harmony.
The elders of Ahmedzai Wazir were of the view that, unfortunately, false and fabricated reports were being spread under a well-devised plan to create unrest in the area; however, the conspirators wouldn’t be allowed to succeed in their nefarious designs to disturb the peaceful environment in the area.
“The tribal elders have signed an agreement with the government back in 2007, during which a 120-member committee was constituted, which is still intact,” they vowed.
They said that the Ahmedzai Wazir tribe launched an operation against foreigners, during which 40 members of the peace lashker were also martyred.
The elders were of the view that the government’s writ is fully established in the area, and the tribal elders were fully cooperating with the military, FC and political administration in restoring peace in the region.
They offered that the national and international media should visit Wana so as they could see the exemplary peace in the area, adding that there was neither a ban on cultural and social activities nor any restriction on movement of women outside their homes without male members of their family.
“Since there is no existence of Taliban in the area, so what to talk of an establishment of a parallel Taliban administration in the area,” the elders claimed.
It is pertinent to mention here that a report surfaced that a faction of the Taliban has apparently made a comeback to Wana under the guise of a peace committee headed by Salahuddin alias Ayubi, a successor of Mullah Muhammad Nazir, and placed a ban on cultural and social activities, putting restrictions on the movement of women outside their homes without male members of their family.
The report added that the so-called peace committee issued tough guidelines through pamphlets in Wana, warning local people to abide by these rules, otherwise, “violators would face repercussions”.
Meanwhile, the political administration of South Waziristan Agency clarified that unknown elements had circulated pamphlets late last month warning people against holding “cultural and social activities” like music and dance.
“A few ‘criminal-minded’ people who were not representing the tribes or will of the people in Wana held a meeting to ban certain social activities,” said an official statement issued by the administration.
Security forces carried out multiple operations in the area to crush Taliban and establish the writ of the state. Finally, Nek Muhammad signed a peace deal with the government in Shakai, who was later droned to death in 2004.
