WANA - Ahmadzai Wazir tribe and members of the Wana Peace Committee have given an ultimatum to Mehsud tribesmen to leave the area by December 5. The decision was taken at a grand jirga of Wazir tribes and members of the peace committee in which large number of tribal elders participated. Mehsud tribesmen -- militants and IDPs -- were asked to leave boundaries of Wazir tribes including Barma, Shakai, ToiKhuld and Wana tehsils by the given date. Mehsuds were told that it was the last warning for them.
Ahmadzaielders said that if a Mehsud IDP or terrorist was arrested after December 5, he would be considered national criminals and would be forced to pay a fine of Rs1 million and his house would be demolished. Government officials confirmed the report of ultimatum but refused to give any reasons for it. Sources, however, said that the decision could be a retaliation of the suicide attack on Mullah Nazir. The announcement was made following a grand jirga of the Mullah Nazir group, a 120-member peace committee of the Ahmedzai Wazir clan, the elders of all Ahmedzai tribes and their sub-tribes at main Rustam Bazaar market of Wana.
Nazir was wounded Thursday when a suicide bomber exploded near his car at Rustam Bazaar, killing at least eight and injuring 17 others. It was unclear who was behind the attempt on his life, but Nazir has a long list of enemies. Announcements were made Saturday on loudspeakers in Azam Warsak, Karikort, Wana and Toikhula bazaar by Nazir loyalists, warning Mehsud Taliban fighters to leave their area by Decmber 5 or face action. The group also asked all Mehsud tribesmen, who had taken refuge in the area being displaced as a result of an earlier Pakistan Army operation to cleanse the area of anti-government militants.
Nazir, an elder in the Wazir tribe, opposes Uzbek fighters and has had stiff relations with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which is dominated by members of the rival Mehsud tribe and lead by Hakeemullah Mehsud.Ahmedzai Wazir tribesmen were also warned by loudspeaker announcement of dire consequences if they provide shelter to Mehsuds. Any local found guilty of giving shelter to Mehsuds would be fined up to Rs1.5million and their houses will also be demolished, said in the warning.
Mullah Nazir also heads the 120-member peace committee of Ahmedzai Wazir tribes, which was assigned the task to evict Uzbek, Tajiks and other foreign fighters including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) militants from the area. He had carried out an armed campaign against Uzbek and other militant groups in collaboration with the security forces in 2007 to expel anti-government elements from South Waziristan areas dominated by the Ahmadzai Wazir tribe.