|
Tribals wanted for harbouring Qaeda militants not handed over
A tribe accused of sheltering Al Qaeda and Taliban suspects has expressed its inability to hand over tribesmen wanted for harbouring the militants.
| "Nope. Sorry. Can't do it." |
In an operation in South Waziristan Agency on Thursday, the army had claimed recovering a number of Al Qaeda and Taliban activists from four houses of Zalikhel tribesmen. The political administration had given the tribal chiefs till Monday to hand over the tribesmen accused of sheltering the activists.
| "Or you're really gonna get it!" |
A senior administration official in Wana, South Waziristan Agency headquarter, told Daily Times by telephone on Tuesday that the Zalikhel tribe cited âproblemsâ in convincing the wanted men to surrender. âThe (Zalikhel) tribal elders said they cannot induce the wanted men to surrender,â the official said. The tribe had signed an agreement with the political administration on May 11, 2002, guaranteeing that it would not provide shelter to Al Qaeda or Taliban militants.
| "Agreement? Did we sign an agreement? You sure that's my signature? Izzat me in the picture?" |
According to special laws for the tribal areas, collective punishment is used to penalise the tribe not observing the agreement.
| "Mahmoud! Beat his grandmaw!" |
The action might include the arrest of any person from that tribe, withholding of benefits to tribal chiefs and economic blockade of the tribe. âAction can come any time,â the official warned. A tribal elder in Wana told Daily Times that Utmankhel, a sub-tribe of Zalkihel, convinced a wanted man to surrender. But another sub-tribe, Yargulkhel, stopped the Utmankhel tribe from handing over the man, forcing Zalikhel elders to allow the administration to take whatever action it deemed necessary. But a tribal elder, Khanzada, requested the administration to wait till October 9 before taking any action. He sought an extension in the deadline in a bid to convince the wanted men to surrender.
| "Yeah. Lemme talk to him. Grandmaw can't take many more sessions like that..." |
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-10-08 |
