Grand Jirga Calls for Modern Equipment to Help KP Police Tackle Security Challenges

Malakand elders stress peace, demand withdrawal of all taxes and pay tribute to sacrifices of people and security forces in war against terrorism.

Staff Report

SWAT: Elders attending a grand jirga of Malakand Division stressed the need to maintain peace and stability in the region and unanimously called for equipping the police force with modern security equipment and advanced gadgets to strengthen its capacity to address security challenges.

A grand jirga of Malakand division was held at Swat Police Training Centre on Saturday, with Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and SAFRON, Engineer Amir Muqam, attending as the chief guest. The primary objectives of the jirga were to pay tribute to the martyrs and deliberate on the challenges confronting the region in maintaining peace.

The jirga also demanded the complete withdrawal of all kinds of taxes imposed on Malakand Division.

Inspector General of Frontier Corps, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zulfiqar Hameed, Regional Police Officer Swat Zahid Nawaz Khan Marwat, deputy commissioners, district police officers (DPOs), politicians, educationists, lawyers and prominent representatives from different walks of life also attended the gathering.

The jirga was also attended by Vice Chancellor Swat University Professor Khushhali Amin, Vice Chancellor Veterinary University Swat Professor Dr Shakeebullah, MPA Rashad Khan from Shangla, MPA Afshan Hussain from Upper Swat, Brigadier (retd) Saleem Khan, former senator Rahat Hussain, Najmuddin Khan from Upper Dir, Wajid Ali Khan from Swat, former provincial minister Muhammad Ali Shah, Sahibzada Tariqullah, retired SP Shangla Bahaduruddin, retired SSP Amjad Khan, former deputy speaker Bakht Jehan, Mian Syed Laiq Badshah, former secretary Arshad Khan, Fayyaz Zafar, Khurshid Ali Khan from Dir, Shehraz Khan, Maulana Javed from Malakand and former provincial minister Malik Muzaffar Syed.

Addressing the jirga, Federal Minister Amir Muqam termed the initiative a positive step towards resolving public issues, promoting peace and stability, and enhancing the operational capacity of the police. He said the people of Malakand Division had rendered unprecedented sacrifices for the restoration of law and order and held it in high esteem.

He said the people, Pakistan Army, police and other security institutions had jointly written an unforgettable chapter of sacrifices in the war against terrorism, adding that lasting peace and stability could only be achieved through public support and cooperation. Appreciating the initiative, the federal minister paid tribute to the IGP KP and RPO Zahid Khan for bringing representatives of different schools of thought onto a common platform to listen to their concerns and suggestions. He proposed extending this successful model to other divisions, districts and tehsils of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to strengthen direct engagement with the public and find practical solutions to their problems.

Discussing economic and developmental challenges, Engr Amir Muqam said the federal government had been apprised of the taxation-related and other economic difficulties faced by the people of the merged districts and Malakand division.