Mohmand Agency... Named for the Mohmand clan of the Sarban Pahstuns, a truculent, quarrelsome lot. In Pakistain, the Mohmands infest their eponymous Agency, metastasizing as far as the plains of Peshawar, Charsadda, and Mardan. Mohmands are also scattered throughout Pakistan in urban areas including Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta. In Afghanistan they are mainly found in Nangarhar and Kunar...
Political Agent Adil Siddique has urged the heads of peace committees and common rustics to fulfil their collective responsibility and check movement of cut-throats in their respective areas.
Addressing two separate tribal jirgas of Safi and Ambar Utamnkhel tribes in Lakaro and Had Kor areas on Sunday, he said that strict action would be taken against the elders of an area if any thug activity happened there.
The jirgas were attended by hundreds of elders and big shots of peace committees belonging to various sub-tribes of Safi and Ambar.
Commandant Mohmand Rifles Col Mushtaq Hussain, Lt-Col Zegham and Assistant Political Agent Rasool Khan were also present on the occasion.
The political agent said that writ of the government had been restored in the region with the efforts of security forces and tribal elders.
"However,
we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by...
you should play due role in restoration of peace in the area," he added.
The official said that restoration of peace was not a difficult task but the main challenge was its maintenance. The recent incidents of militancy affected law and order in the region, he added.
Mr Siddique assured the rustics of reconstruction of all health, educational and others facilities, which were destroyed in the recent conflict. He asked officials of education and health departments to perform their duty regularly otherwise their salaries would be stopped.
Addressing on the occasion, Col Mushtaq urged the heads of Safi and Ambar peace committees to nominate 10 volunteers from each village to form village defence committees in their respective areas. He said that security forces were present in the region to facilitate rustics.
"We will not disturb your tribal customs and jirga system," he told the rustics.
Col Mushtaq said that peace committees should trace the elements involved in thug activities. He also praised Safi and Ambar rustics for rendering sacrifices to bring peace to the area.
The tribal elders including Malik Sadol Khan, Malik Zardali, Malik Ibrahim, Malik Shab Khan and Malik Izzat Khan also spoke on the occasion and said that Mohmand rustics had always supported security forces and rendered sacrifices to eliminate cut-throats in the area.
They said that people of Safi and Ambar tehsils were fully alert to counter thugs' attacks in their areas.