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Jirga vows to continue action against Taliban
 A grand jirga of Salarzai tribal elders in Bajaur Agency vowed on Tuesday to continue action against the Taliban.The jirga decided to torch the houses of those found providing shelter to Taliban, while also imposing a fine of Rs 1 million on such people and expelling them from the agency. Unwelcome Afghans: Meanwhile, Afghan refugees were returning to Afghanistan after officials accused them of links with Taliban and ordered them out. Bacha Khan, a police official at the Toorwandi border post in Bajaur, told AP that refugees had been crossing steadily into Afghanistan, while others had moved to other parts of Pakistan. He said an estimated 20,000 refugees had returned home in recent weeks. An Afghan community leader in Khar, Bajaur's main town, urged the government to provide transport to the refugees who complied with the order to leave the agency. "We are poor people, and we don't have enough money to pay for the buses," Ghulam Jan said. Kunar provincial police chief Abdul Jalal Jalal said a total of 30,000 people had arrived from Pakistan. Orakzai: Meanwhile, locals released 14 Taliban after foreigners withdrew from Orakzai Agency following negotiations with elders from Chapri Ferozkhel. Posted by: Fred 2008-10-08 |
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